NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Dental floss

Dental floss is either a bundle of thin nylon filaments or a plastic (teflon or polyethylene) ribbon used to remove food and dental plaque from teeth. The floss is gently inserted between the teeth and scraped along the teeth sides, especially close to the gums. Dental floss is flavored or unflavored, and can be waxed or unwaxed. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 330 KB) Summary Dental flossing Description: Dental hygienist flossing a patients teeth during a periodic tooth cleaning. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 330 KB) Summary Dental flossing Description: Dental hygienist flossing a patients teeth during a periodic tooth cleaning. ... Nylon is a generic designation for a family of synthetic polymers first produced on February 28, 1935 by Wallace Carothers at DuPont. ... Teflon is polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), a polymer of fluorinated ethylene. ... Ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), also known as high modulus polyethylene (HMPE) or high performance polyethylene (HPPE), is a thermoplastic made from oil. ... Improper removal of plaque caused a build up of calculus (dark yellow colour) near the gums on almost all the teeth. ... Types of teeth Molars are used for grinding up foods Carnassials are used for slicing food. ... Types of teeth Molars are used for grinding up foods Carnassials are used for slicing food. ... The gingiva (sing. ... candle wax This page is about the substance. ...

History

Levi Spear Parmly, a dentist from New Orleans, is credited with inventing the first form of dental floss. He had been recommending that people should clean their teeth with silk floss since 1815.^[1] Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (800x756, 63 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Dental floss User:Bishonen/Archive 8 Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (800x756, 63 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Dental floss User:Bishonen/Archive 8 Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera... A Dentist and Dental Assistant perform surgery on a patient. ... New Orleans is the largest city in the state of Louisiana, United States of America. ... Silk dresses Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. ... April 5-12: Mount Tambora explodes, changing climate. ...

Dental floss was still unavailable to the consumer until the Codman and Shurtleft company started producing human-usable unwaxed silk floss in 1882. In 1898, the Johnson & Johnson Corporation received the first patent for dental floss. Other early brands included Red Cross, Salter Sill Co. and Brunswick. Year 1882 (MDCCCLXXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Year 1898 (MDCCCXCVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) is an international Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices manufacturer founded in 1885. ... A patent is a set of exclusive rights granted by a state to a patentee for a fixed period of time in exchange for a disclosure of an invention. ...

The adoption of floss was poor before World War II. It was around this time, however, that Dr. Charles C. Bass developed nylon floss. Nylon floss was found to be better than silk because of its greater abrasion resistance and elasticity. Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Abrasives are extremely commonplace and are used very extensively in a wide variety of industrial, domestic, and technological applications. ... Look up elastic in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Dentists and dental hygienists urge the daily oral hygiene regimen of toothbrushing and flossing. Nearly all Americans brush their teeth. However, the ADA indicates that only about 12 percent of Americans floss daily, 39 percent floss less than daily, and 49 percent do not floss at all.^{[citation needed]} Oral hygiene is the practice of keeping the mouth clean. ... Three toothbrushes The toothbrush is an instrument used to clean teeth, consisting of a small brush on a handle. ...

Use

Dental floss is commonly supplied in plastic dispensers that contain 10 to 40 meters of floss. After pulling out the desired amount, the floss is pulled against a small protected blade in the dispenser to sever it.

The dental floss is held between the fingers. It can be difficult to grasp floss due to the tension required to push between certain teeth, and reducing friction as the fingers and floss become wet from saliva. To keep a hold, the floss can be wrapped around one or both fingers. Doing this on or above the first joint allows that finger to be used in conjunction with the thumb in a traditional pinch grip, to reduce excessive tension on the skin. Wrapping dental floss too tight as a tourniquet reduces circulation. So it is wise to loosen the wraparound when alternating to a fresh segment of floss. An alternative way to make the floss easier to handle is to make a loop and tie the ends together using a couple of knots. The resulting ring is easy to handle even in wet conditions and does not put as much tension on the skin as when wrapping it around the fingers.

Specialized plastic wands have been produced to hold the floss. These may be attached to or separate from a floss dispenser. While not pinching the finger, it may be awkward and unable to floss at all the angles possible with a finger. At the same time, the enhanced reach can make flossing the back teeth easier, which are generally the more neglected teeth in dental care. Image File history File linksMetadata Hand-held_dental_floss. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Hand-held_dental_floss. ...

The floss is gently slid between the teeth. Dental floss is used to clear both particles of food stuck between teeth and dent-bacterial plaque adhered to such teeth surfaces. Ideally using a C-shape, when the floss is curved around a tooth and then moved away from the gumline, the floss scrapes the side of each tooth, and can also clean the front or back of the tooth. Gently moving the floss from below the gumline to away from the gumline removes dento-bacterial plaque attached to teeth surfaces above and below the gumline.

Less-than-daily flossing and/or improper flossing can typically lead to bleeding gums. The main cause of the bleeding is inflammation of the gingival tissue due to gingivitis. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

Directions

The American Dental Association (ADA) advises to floss once or more per day. It should be noted that overly vigorous or incorrect flossing can result in gum tissue damage. For proper flossing, the Association advises to curve the floss against the side of the tooth in a 'C' shape, and then to wipe the tooth from under the gumline (very gently) to the tip two or three times, repeated on adjacent tooth and on all other teeth too.

Vibration

Some flossing wands utilize vibration which transfers through the floss, originating from the ends. This is likely inspired by the similar use of vibration of the bristles in modern electric toothbrushes. As the vibration causes subtle movement, the floss will find the path of least resistance when pressed down. The movement would also help in temporarily separating tooth and gum for floss to get through. Electric toothbrush, made by Braun. ...

This allows easier penetration under the gumline, with less force applied to push into the gap between teeth. With less force applied, more control of flossing is possible. In normal flossing, pressure may be applied until the floss 'pops' through the teeth, and the momentum can carry on and painfully impact the gum tissue. With more control, this can be avoided totally, or reduced.

Many consider vibrations to be soothing, they are a common technique in massage and orthopedic devices. Much like electric toothbrushes are soothing to the teeth and gums, vibrating floss can sooth and massage the gumline.

Cuts become less likely as the floss will not press against as isolated an area, and less pressure is applied. Any abrasions to the gum would be more evenly distributed, leading to more equal adaptation of the tissue.^{[citation needed]}

Benefits

Flossing in combination with toothbrushing can prevent gum disease, halitosis, and dental caries.^[2]. Periodontal disease is the name for bacterial infections of the gums in the mouth. ... Halitosis, oral malodor (scientific term), breath odor, foul breath, fetor oris, or most commonly bad breath are terms used to describe noticeably unpleasant odors exhaled in breathing â€“ whether the smell is from an oral source or not. ...

Branded products

Colgate redirects here. ... Tube of Crest Crest is a brand of toothpaste made by Procter & Gamble which is now on the market in many countries, such as the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and France. ... W. L. Gore and Associates is the maker of Gore-Tex fabrics. ... Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) is a global American pharmaceutical, medical devices and consumer packaged goods manufacturer founded in 1886. ... Oral-B is a brand name of toothbrush and other dental care products (such as dental floss) manufactured by Procter and Gamble who acquired Gillette in 2005. ...

See also

Three toothbrushes The toothbrush is an instrument used to clean teeth, consisting of a small brush on a handle. ... Modern toothpaste gel Toothpaste is a paste or gel dentifrice used to clean and improve the aesthetic appearance and health of teeth. ... The American Dental Association (ADA) is an American advocacy group that promotes Oral Health Care and the field of dentistry. ...

References

Categories: Articles with unsourced statements since February 2007 | All articles with unsourced statements | Dental equipment Periodontology is the branch of dentistry concerned with the health of the tooth supporting structures, ie. ... X-Ray picture of two rectangular dental implants inserted into the jaw. ... PeBold textriodontium is a word of Medical terminology for the specialized tissues surrounding and supporting the teeth. ... The alveolar process (processus alveolaris), also referred to as the alveolar bone, is the bone found in the jaws of a mouth containing the socket of teeth. ... Crown lengthening is a surgical procedure performed by a dentist to expose a greater height of tooth structure in order to properly restore the tooth prosthetically. ... Cementum is a specialized bony substance covering the root of a tooth. ... The free gingival margin is the interface between the sulcular epithelium and the epithelium of the oral cavity. ... The gingiva (sing. ... The gingival fibers are the connective tissue fibers that attach a tooth to the gingival tissue. ... The junctional epithelium is that epithelium which lies at, and in health also defines, the base of the gingival sulcus. ... The mucogingival junction is the interface between the more apically located alveolar mucosa and the more coronally located attached gingiva of the gingiva. ... // Headline text The periodontal ligaments are considered part of the periodontium, as they are supporting tissue of a tooth. ... The sulcular epithelium is that epithelium which lines the gingival sulcus. ... Photograph of the upper left quandrant, showing teeth #4-8, with a DO amalgam on #5. ... Aa, as this species is commonly referred to, is a bacteria found in severe infections in the oral cavity, mainly the periodontium. ... Porphyromonas gingivalis belongs to the Bacteroides genus and is a non-motile, gram-negative, rod-shaped, anaerobic pathogenic bacterium. ... Calculus (dark yellow colour) can be seen on almost all teeth near the gums In dentistry, calculus or tartar refers to hardened plaque on the teeth, formed by the presence of saliva, debris, and minerals. ... Edentulism is is the condition of being completely toothless. ... == Fremitus: Medical Term and Christian Outreach== Medical Term and a Christian Outreach Fremitus is a palpable vibration on the human body. ... Gingival enlargement, the currently accepted terminology for an increase in the size of the gingiva, is a common feature of gingival disease. ... A drawing depicting the relationship of a tooth to the surrounding gingival tissue. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Occlusal trauma is a dental term that refers to the damage incurred when teeth are left in traumatic occlusion without proper treatment. ... A drawing depicting the relationship of a tooth to the surrounding gingival tissue. ... Periodontitis a disease involving inflammation of the gums (gingiva), often persisting unnoticed for years or decades in a patient, that results in loss of bone around teeth. ... Improper removal of plaque caused a build up of calculus (dark yellow colour) near the gums on almost all the teeth. ... Receding gums (gingival recession) refers to a loss of gum tissue resulting in an exposure in the roots of the teeth. ... Three toothbrushes The toothbrush is an instrument used to clean teeth, consisting of a small brush on a handle. ... Bleeding on probing is a term used by dentists when referring to bleeding that is induced by gentle manipulation of the tissue at the depth of the gingival sulcus, or interface between the gingiva and a tooth. ... Chlorhexidine Gluconate is a chemical antiseptic, to combat both gram positive and gram negative microbes. ... Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a very pale blue liquid which appears colourless in a dilute solution, slightly more viscous than water. ... This article needs additional references or sources to facilitate its verification. ... Oral hygiene is the practice of keeping the mouth clean. ... Tetracycline (INN) (IPA: ) is a broad-spectrum antibiotic produced by the streptomyces bacterium, indicated for use against many bacterial infections. ... A periodontal probe is an instrument in dentistry commonly used in the dental armamentarium. ... Debridement is a medical term referring to the removal of dead, damaged, or infected tissue to improve the healing potential of the remaining healthy tissue. ... The objective of scaling and root planing, otherwise known as conventional periodontal therapy, is to remove or eliminate the etiologic agents which cause inflammation: dental plaque, its products and calculus,[1] thus helping to establish a periodontium that is free of disease. ... A bone graft is a surgical procedure where bone is taken from a donor site and placed elsewhere within the patient. ... Crown lengthening is a surgical procedure performed by a dentist to expose a greater height of tooth structure in order to properly restore the tooth prosthetically. ... A gingivectomy is a periodontal surgical procedure which includes the removal of gingival tissue in order to achieve a more esthetic appearance and/or functional contour. ... X-Ray picture of two rectangular dental implants inserted into the jaw. ...

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