Frustrated By Your Dental Floss Always Shredding? Here Are Some Things That Your Dentist Can Do

Flossing once a day can be monumental in the maintenance of good oral hygiene, but you might occasionally come across challenges that decrease your desire to floss. One issue that some people can sometimes encounter is the dental floss shredding. This is a challenging situation because it prevents you from doing a thorough job, and if small threads of the floss come off between your teeth, they can feel bothersome. During your next dental exam, don't be afraid to raise this concern to your dentist. He or she can help your situation in several ways, including the following.

Round Out A Sharp Area

Peoples' teeth can be a variety of shapes, including having sharp edges. If your dental floss frequently shreds while you're flossing, you might be aware that this issue normally occurs when you're flossing around a certain tooth. This is usually indicative of the tooth having a sharp edge, and your dentist will likely be able to see the offending area quickly. The dentist can fix your problem by quickly rounding out the sharp area. When the tooth is ground to be smoother, you won't have to worry about damaging your dental floss again.

Redo An Old Filling

It's also possible for an old filling to be causing this problem. If you have a filling that wasn't done very well, it could have a jagged edge — something that you might also feel with your tongue and not enjoy. Your dentist can fortunately address this problem for you, too. He or she will likely remove the old filling, which may be in some form of disrepair if you've had it for several years, and put a few filling in. In doing so, your dentist will round the edge of the filling to ensure that it won't cause problems for your flossing.

Discuss Flossing Techniques With You

Sometimes, it's your flossing technique more than anything that may lead to issues such as the dental floss shredding. If your dentist can't identify any issue with your mouth that is creating this problem, he or she may ask you to demonstrate how you floss. The dentist — or a dental hygienist — can then evaluate your methods and make some helpful suggestions. For example, if you're rubbing the floss against the top or bottom of the tooth before sliding it between two teeth, you might be making the process more difficult than it has to be.

For more information and other dental services, contact a local dental clinic. 

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