Floss Shredding
Floss can get caught in your teeth for a variety of reasons.
- The contact is just too tight. If this is the case your dentist can lighten up the contact for you with a minor procedure. Actually taking a sand paper or metal strip between the teeth and removing some filling material. You want a tight contact so you don't get food caught, but you also want to be able to floss. There are special flosses on the market that can be helpful for tight contacts, ask your dentist.
- The floss is getting caught on a rough, overextended or broken portion of an existing filling. If this is the case your dentist may suggest that the old filling be replaced with a new one. It may be the same type of filling or it may require the filling be a casting, such as a gold inlay or a crown. This is necessary because the portion that is catching your floss is also catching plaque and bacteria. This plaque can lead to gingivitis or perhaps gum disease if not treated. Once treated the floss should pass trough without shredding.
- The floss is shredding because there is a sharp surface around an area of decay between your teeth. Your dentist can x-ray this area and determine the amount of destruction present. Then you and your dentist can determine the appropriate course of action. Whether it be a silver filling, a gold filling, or a crown the decay must be removed and a restoration placed.