Dental floss

Dental floss is a thin filament or ribbon used to remove food debris and plaque from between teeth and along the gumline.

Dental plaque: A structured community of microorganisms embedded in a matrix that adheres to teeth and other oral surfaces. Floss disrupts plaque where a toothbrush often cannot reach.
Floss threader: A flexible loop or guide used to pass dental floss beneath bridges, orthodontic wires, or other obstructions. It helps route floss where direct access is blocked.
Levi Spear Parmly: An American dentist who advocated cleaning between teeth with silk thread in the early nineteenth century. His advice is an early documented promotion of interdental thread cleaning.
Gingivitis: Inflammation of the gums, commonly caused by plaque accumulation along the gumline. Removing plaque between teeth can help control a common cause of gingivitis.
Interdental cleaning: The removal of debris and plaque from spaces between teeth using floss or other cleaning tools. Floss is one method within this broader form of oral hygiene.
Water flosser: A powered device that directs a pulsing stream of water between teeth and along the gumline. It is a distinct interdental-cleaning option for people who find thread floss difficult.
Silk: A natural protein fiber produced by silkworms and used historically in textiles and medical materials. Silk was the material of early commercial dental floss.
Periodontitis: A chronic inflammatory disease that damages the tissues and bone supporting the teeth. Persistent plaque-associated gum inflammation can progress to this destructive disease.
Interdental papilla: The portion of gum tissue that fills the space between adjacent teeth. Floss passes beside this tissue at the gumline without cutting into it.
Super floss: A dental floss product with stiffened ends, a spongy section, and regular floss for cleaning around appliances. Its sections suit threading and cleaning around braces or bridges.

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