What is dental floss?
Q: What is dental floss?
A: Dental floss is a special type of thread that is used for cleaning spaces between teeth which cannot be reached by toothbrushes.
Q: Why is it important to floss before brushing teeth?
A: It is important to floss before brushing teeth because tooth brushing will not clean food that is packed between the teeth, and this 'food packing' can lead to unhealthy teeth and gums.
Q: What are the bacteria called that come from food on the teeth and between the teeth?
A: The bacteria that come from food on the teeth and between the teeth are called "plaque" or "bacterial plaque".
Q: How does flossing help to prevent gum disease?
A: Flossing helps to prevent gum disease by reducing the danger of serious diseases of the jaw bone, such as periodontal disease.
Q: What types of food often get trapped between the teeth?
A: Foods such as chicken and turkey meat, which are hard and full of fibres, often get trapped between the teeth.
Q: Why should people use dental floss instead of a toothpick to remove trapped food from between their teeth?
A: People should use dental floss instead of a toothpick because it is much thinner than a toothpick and can thus get to places that most toothpicks cannot reach, so it presumably does a better job at getting bits of food out from between the teeth.
