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Can Flossing Too Hard Damage Your Mouth?

Posted on 11/30/2019 by McDonald Office

Man flossing his teeth after visiting McDonald DDS in Plano, TX

With so much attention focused on ensuring you are flossing every day and you are doing it “correctly.” It can be easy to fall victim to the mistake of envisioning more pressure or deeper flossing will yield better or improved results.

Effects of Flossing Too Hard

When you floss too hard, it should be very clear to you because you will see some bleeding and afterward your gums will be tender. If you are consistently flossing too hard, eventually, the bleeding will stop as your gums start to adjust but you will feel some soreness and discomfort after.

With hard flossing over time, your gums will begin to recede. Once this happens, you'll start to experience tooth pain due to the areas of the tooth being exposed can have thin enamel. With extreme cases, the root of the tooth can be exposed causing even further tooth pain.

How to Know If You Are Flossing Too Hard

There is a fine line between applying healthy pressure on the floss to get it down into the pocket below the gum line. If you are flossing to the point you are making your gums bleed, you are causing damage to the gums. If you aren't flossing on a regular basis, it's common to experience some bleeding for seven to ten days. Further bleeding beyond that time can be either a sign of gum disease or you are flossing too hard.

You should be flossing with a gentle pressure that slides into the pocket between each one of your teeth. Sliding the floss in a back and forth motion so you pull the bacteria and particles out of the pocket. Another mistake people make if they are starting to develop some gingivitis (infected swollen, red area of gums). Due to the sensitivity or bleeding when that specific gum area is flossed. Many people elect to skip it, causing more bacteria to infect the surrounding gums.

If you have questions about your flossing technique or you would like to know more. Call McDonald & Luck DDS today at (469) 649-0699 to schedule a dental exam and cleaning, our office is here to assist in all your oral health care needs.

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