A guarantee for grate breath

Aug 02, 2009

Jane used to brush her teeth everyday and believed she would never suffer from tooth decay or gum disease.

By Frederick Womakuyu

Jane used to brush her teeth everyday and believed she would never suffer from tooth decay or gum disease.

However, to her surprise, one day she felt a sharp pain piercing through her gum and a dentist confirmed her teeth were rotting.

Dentists say brushing only cleans the outer surface, but not between the teeth or gums.

The Uganda Dental Association (UDA) has proved beyond reasonable doubt that tooth decay and gum disease are largely caused by plaque, a sticky combination of bacteria and food.

“Plaque begins to accumulate on teeth within 20 minutes after eating. If this plaque is not removed thoroughly each day, tooth decay occurs. Over time, plaque hardens into tartar,” says Dr. David Mabonga, a dentist at AfriMedic laboratory in Mbale.

Tartar refers to mineral deposits above and below the gums that have hardened. Mabonga says flossing is a simple, though often neglected practice that protects teeth from decaying.

Dr. Savino Ayesiga, a dentist at Mbarara Hospital, describes flossing as the cleaning of teeth using strings to remove food particles from between teeth and at the gum line.

Dental floss
Ayesiga says the string used for flossing is commonly known as dental floss. “It may be waxed (to reduce friction) or not. It may comprise a bundle of thin nylon filaments or a plastic ribbon,” Ayesiga explains.

“One should ask a dentist or a health worker about the variety of dental cleaning devices that are available when choosing a type of dental floss,” he amphasises.

Steps for flossing
According to the American Dental Hygienists’ website, one must take the following steps to floss:

Step 1: Wind 18 inches of string around the middle fingers of each hand. Pinch the floss between thumbs and index fingers, leaving a length of one to two inches in between. Use thumbs to re-direct floss between the upper teeth.

Step 2: keep a one-to two-inch length of floss between fingers.

Use the index fingers to guide floss between the lower teeth.

Step 3: Gently guide floss between the teeth by using a zigzag motion.

Do not cut the string between your teeth. Line the string around the side of the tooth

Step 4: slide the string up and down against the tooth surface and under the gum line. Floss each tooth thoroughly with a clean section of the string.

“Do this to avoid transmitting plaque bacteria from one tooth to another,” Mabonga says.

Importance of flossing
- It is a supplementary cleaning technique that removes plaque in hidden places that a toothbrush cannot reach — in-between the teeth.
- According to Dr. Mabonga, lack of flossing causes cavities.
These are holes that damage the structure of the teeth.
- It can also cause gingivitis, a swollen, inflamed and bleeding gum.
- It leads to periodontitis, a destruction of the ligaments and bones that support teeth.
Flossing helps to polish the teeth surface, prevents bad breath and curbs dental diseases.

How often do you floss?
- Ayesiga advises one to floss once or more times a day before brushing. “Flossing prior to brushing allows toothpaste to reach between the teeth,” he says. He advises that children should be supervised until they are age 10.
“However, they can be taught to floss, starting at age three,” Ayesiga adds.

Dangers of flossing
- Ayesiga says caution must be taken to prevent children from incorrectly using dental floss to prevent them from hurting their gums.
Mabonga cautions against the use of tooth picks to remove plaque which could hurt the gum or uproot ones teeth. Floss can be bought in supermarkets and pharmacies around the city.

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