One of the most commonly overlooked yet essential aspects of oral hygiene practices is flossing. Flossing helps maintain dental and oral hygiene, especially if done once a day as recommended. But how does it work? Dental floss is a cord of thin filaments that is used to clean between teeth in places that the toothbrush cannot reach.
Thus, flossing helps clean and dislodge food stuck between teeth, ultimately reducing the amount of bacteria and plaque in your mouth.
Plaque is extremely tricky to tackle as it is a sticky film that builds up on and between teeth; hence, it can lead to cavities and gum disease.
It is therefore important to know how to floss properly and accurately to get the best results and avoid harming your teeth.
How to use dental floss properly
Flossing incorrectly is a common issue, even if you floss on the regular! To make sure you’re flossing correctly, read the following steps on how to floss properly:
- Firstly, break off about 18 to 24 inches of a good dental floss.
- Secondly, wind most of the floss around both your middle fingers. Leave only 1-2 inches of floss for your teeth.
- Thirdly, place the floss in between two teeth and gently glide it up and down, rubbing it against each side of the teeth.
- Fourthly, do not glide the floss into your gums because this can scratch or bruise your gums!
- Next, as the floss reaches your gums, curve the floss at the base of the tooth to form a C-shape. This allows the floss to enter the space between your gums and the tooth.
- Finally, repeat the steps as you move from tooth to tooth. Most importantly, use a new, clean section of floss with each tooth.
When to floss
There are different discussions on when the right time to floss is, most notably:
- Flossing before brushing: Helps clear plaque and allows fluoride from toothpaste to reach between teeth.
- Flossing after brushing: Helps to clear residual plaque after brushing.
Ultimately, the difference is not significant as both do the same job of ensuring teeth are cleaned, and plaque is removed. Hence, it is completely up to you, as long as you floss daily!
Types of dental floss
Now that you know the basics of flossing, it is essential to choose a good dental floss suitable for you.
However, there are many types of dental floss available in the market which can make it hard to choose one. Thus, we’ve listed different types of dental floss for your easy reference:
For beginners: Waxed thin floss
Waxed thin floss is a great choice for beginners as the layer of wax helps it glide easier between teeth. Hence this type of floss is good for tight or crowded teeth contacts.
However, it is usually flavored and thicker than unwaxed thin floss, which may be a con for some people who dislike its artificial flavouring.
For those familiar with flossing: Unwaxed thin floss
Similar to waxed thin floss, unwaxed thin floss is good for tight or crowded teeth contacts as well. It is chemical-free with no artificial flavor, which makes it perfect for those who prefer flavour-free flossing.
However, this is recommended for those who are used to flossing already, as unwaxed thin floss can tear or shred easily due to the lack of wax.
This also causes it to squeak against clean teeth, as an indicator that plaque has been removed.
For widely-spaced teeth: Dental tape
Dental tape is a broader and flatter type of floss, therefore making it a great choice for those with well-aligned or widely-spaced teeth.
For those with small mouth openings: Floss picks with holders
These are great for patients with smaller mouth openings which may cause difficulty in reaching the back teeth.
In addition, floss picks also work better for patients with compromised dexterity.
For those with dental work/appliances: Super floss
Super floss has a thinner leading floss section to thread between tight areas and a thicker, furry body to clean between wider gaps or under fixed dental work/appliances.
This can be extremely useful for those with braces, bridges, or fixed implants.
Top 5 Recommended Dental Floss in Singapore
Despite the different types of dental floss, it all boils down to your personal preference! With that in mind, we’ve listed some of our recommended dental floss in Singapore:
Top 5 Recommended Dental Floss in Singapore
 | Oral-B Glide Pro-Health Deep Clean Floss Best Dental Floss for Tight Teeth Contacts |  | View Details | Buy Now |
 | Dr. Tung’s Smart Floss Best All-Natural Waxed Dental Floss | | View Details | Buy from IHerb |
 | Tom’s of Maine Flat Floss Best All-Natural Dental Tape | | View Details | Buy Now |
 | Pearlie White Floss Pick Best Y-shaped Floss Pick | | View Details | Buy Now |
 | Oral-B Satin Tape Best Dental Tape For Widely-spaced Teeth | | View Details | Buy Now |
Oral-B Glide Pro-Health Deep Clean Floss Review
Best Dental Floss for Tight Teeth Contacts
The Oral-B Glide Pro-Health Deep Clean Floss uses a form of unique technology in order to deliver deep-cleaning power with extra comfort. It slides up to 50% more easily in tight spaces, and has up to 90% more of a micro-surface area than other flosses.
Further, this floss provides a cool, clean feeling, with a strong and shred-resistant floss that is coated with a layer of natural wax.
Type of floss: Waxed thin floss
What we like:
- Extra comfortable.
- Cool mint flavoured.
- Shred-resistant.
Best All-Natural Waxed Dental Floss
Dr. Tung’s Smart Floss is clinically proven to remove up to 55% more plaque. Another great feature is that it’s free of chemicals!
It is made with natural plant and bees wax coating, and the container is made with EcoPure®. It is also softer on the fingers and expands to ensure gentleness on gums, thus making it easier to clean interdental spaces better.
To sum up, these features make it a high-performance floss suitable for many.
Type of floss: Waxed thin floss
What we like:
- No animal testing.
- All-natural ingredients.
- Expandable.
- Extremely soft and gentle as it is cushion-soft.
Best All-Natural Dental Tape
Tom’s of Maine Flat Floss is accepted by the American Dentist Association and has been in production since the 1970s.
Above all, it is proven to remove plaque with its easy glide naturally-waxed nylon filaments that prevent fraying or snapping.
It is strong between teeth yet gentle on gums, helping remove particles efficiently and thoroughly to maintain dental hygiene. Being a flat floss, it is best used by those with wider-spaced teeth, as it helps clean out plaque vigorously.
Tom’s of Maine also prides itself on being transparent with consumers about its sustainable practices, ingredients, purpose, and source.
It is an amazing choice for those seeking a good floss without preservatives, artificial colors or flavourings, made with mainly natural beeswax and seed oil.
Type of floss: Dental tape
What we like:
- No animal testing.
- Easy glide, soft.
- Naturally-waxed, strong filaments.
Best Y-shaped Floss Pick
The Pearlie White Floss Pick is a Y-shaped flosser with an angled head which makes flossing all the way back in the mouth as easy as the front. It is also smooth and shred-resistant and was created with a wider cleaning surface area.
Finally, it’s made of a soft and gentle floss material and equipped with a textured pick-end that can be used as a regular toothpick.
Type of floss: Floss picks with holders
What we like:
- Soft and gentle.
- Resealable bag.
- No animal testing.
Best Dental Tape For Widely-Spaced Teeth
The Oral-B Satin Tape is mint-flavoured—as a result, it releases a burst of mint freshness on contact. It has a unique satin-like ribbon that makes it comfortable to use and thus helps in effectively cleaning out plaque.
It is gentle on the gums and fingers for ultimate comfort, with the ribbon-like shape helping clean out wide spaces, while the satin-like finish makes it easy to reach tight spots.
Type of floss: Waxed dental tape
What we like:
- Mint-flavoured
- Ribbon-like shape to clean wide spaces between teeth.
- Satin-like finish which is gentle on the gums.
- Shred-resistant.
- Comfortable to handle.
Price Comparison
Now that you’ve got the basics of flossing down and know of a few recommended dental flosses, it’s time to make a purchase.
But of course, you’ll want to check the costs of the items. To that end, we’ve compiled a table that you can refer to at-a-glance below.
Note: Each item and price is up to date; however, an item may be sold out or the price may be different at a later date.
Are you also looking for best facial moisturiser? Check out: Best Moisturiser for Combination Skin: Budget-Friendly and Effective Picks
