Can You Floss Too Much?

An interesting question that arises in our office from time to time from concerned patients is if they can potentially floss too much and cause damage to their teeth. Flossing is one of the most important oral hygiene practices a person should perform. It helps clear out plaque and bacteria build up between the teeth and gums that a normal toothbrush cannot reach. It may be surprising to read that you can, in fact, floss too much. However, we encourage you to read further to understand exactly what that means.

Flossing is a simple practice that can keep your teeth in top shape for many years. Use a few inches of floss and work in between two teeth. In a saw-like motion scrap the sides of the teeth to remove plaque build up. Make sure to focus on each side of the tooth and use good amount of muscle to apply pressure. Make sure not to force the floss against the gums. The main purpose of the floss is to remove plaque on the side of the teeth. Most people believe it is to dig under the tooth into the gum, which we don’t recommend. If you floss once a day, the plaque build up will stay clear enough to stay out of the gums.
We recommend that you floss once a day because plaque that will build up between your teeth takes about 24 hours to form. Flossing once a day is more than enough to keep that area cleared. For whatever reason, if you find yourself needing a good floss after a serious meal of corn on the cob or maybe popcorn, it’s okay to floss twice or even three times in a day. However, we do not recommend that you make that a routine. A triple-floss day should be as rare as a solar eclipse.
If you feel like flossing once a day isn't enough for you, you may be flossing wrong. Find out if you're not flossing the right way by taking a look at these 5 common flossing mistakes.
You can floss too much. That’s right, and if you do you can seriously irritate and damage gum tissue. We imagine anyone who is over-flossing is probably overly-concerned with dental hygiene, however you’re doing more damage then good. The more you floss in a day, the more chance you’re allowing irritation to the gums. They can become sore and swollen and even start to bleed. If you continue to over-floss, you’ll begin to destroy your gum line and expose your tooth’s surface and its root. Once the root of your tooth is exposed, you can cause great damage that will lead to infection and potential root cavities (which are never fun).
As well, if you’re flossing too much, you’re wearing down the enamel on your tooth which is able to protect your teeth from cavities and damage. The more you wear away at that enamel, the higher chance you have of hurting your teeth and gums.
While there are exceptions to the rule, we really don’t recommend flossing more than once a day. However, we strongly encourage you continue to floss everyday. Flossing is one of the best practices you can perform to keep you teeth and gums healthy for a very long time. If you think you’re having trouble flossing, wearing at enamel, or would like to have a proper cleaning performed by the best dental practice in Chicago, call Water Tower Dental today. We would be happy to guide you through best oral hygiene practices while cleaning and preparing your teeth for a better, brighter smile.