TOOTHPICK VERSUS DENTAL FLOSS

                               

                            vsvs

         In the world where Nkwobi, isi ewu, peppe soup, tasty fried chicken, goat meat, snail sauce and the likes of them holds a large trumpet that beacons on our appetite almost every time exist, toothpick seems to have taken the post of a caretaker.

            

Welcome again to our dental session, hope like never before your dental habits have improved? I want to believe so. By the way to get more info about your dental health education tips, you can follow me on twitter @sdc_nigeria and facebook; @smilesdotcom. Today we will talk about dental floss as against toothpick.

Although toothpick has added to the economy of Nigeria and its makers, it has contributed negatively to the dental tissues ( teeth and supporting structure ) of many individuals. Not only that it is dangerous to your gums and surrounding structure but it is most widely abused. It can be gotten in so many places like eateries or 'mama put' and even our homes. A discovery made by researchers has proven that dental floss is 100% better than toothpick, overly beneficial to your gums and surrounding structures and cannot go wrong. It doesn't matter how much you use it, no dentist will tell you " you floss too much".

In between our teeth and gum is an accepted space of up to 2mm. What toothpick does is to dig gently into these spaces enlarging them in the process. This happens because many of us don't know how to use these toothpicks effectively. Sometimes, you see people leave the toothpick in their mouth and even forget that its there. Remember the two edges of the toothpick is sharp and pointed, designed that way so it can easily penetrate the spaces between each tooth and remove food particles and plaque. But, unfortunately, these can cause more harm than good. Due to our inability to effectively use these toothpicks, we remove not only food particles and plaque, but also some of our gums, Creating a large space which is called periodontal pocket in dentistry. These pockets permits food packing, encouraging bacterial activities in that area. In the long run, that area becomes inflamed and if not treated on time, the bone around that tooth starts dying leaving the tooth mobile. So you see, that sweetness you enjoy when tooth picking is actually pain in disguise.

Dental floss on the other hand is a better and safer option. Its like a thread only that its made specially for the teeth and gums. It comes in two forms; the waxed and unwaxed. Although many people find it difficult to manipulate when using it to remove food particles and plaque at first, it is much more safer and hygienic than toothpick. A simpler kind that looks like a hoke with a toothpick end can also be gotten in supermarket, pharmacy or dental shops. We call it a floss pick. The floss is gently inserted between the teeth and scraped along the sides of the teeth, especially close to the gums or underneath them to remove particles and plaque. Proper flossing in addition to toothbrushing can reduce any gum disease and also mouth odour, because it contains some antimicrobial properties.

Now, please its is of utmost importance that you eat and enjoy your Nkwobi, goat meat , chicken and all the likes, you can even invite me to come join you at the table, believe me I won't miss it. *smiles* but after eating, with the option of toothpick or dental floss, please pick dental floss. It is better you eat and still have your complete set of teeth to eat another day, than to eat and suffer from pain later. Make sure you brush at least twice daily and also floss at least twice daily too. It is said " PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE".