Flossing Too Hard Can Damage Your Child’s Oral Health

Flossing is obviously a very important part of any child’s at-home dental healthcare routine. Flossing allows the removal of bacteria, plaque, and leftover food debris from between the teeth where your child’s toothbrush can’t reach. Dentists also agree that flossing is the best way to keep your child’s gum tissue healthy and avoid gingivitis. 

However, while flossing is very important, it’s possible for your child to damage his or her gum tissue and teeth by flossing too aggressively. Flossing too hard can eventually damage the tooth enamel and the gums, causing more harm than help to your oral health. 

How Flossing Too Hard Can Damage Oral Health 

Below are a few ways that flossing too aggressively can damage your child’s dental health: 

• Flossing can cause gum recession – When trying to pull floss through the teeth, your child may pull too hard, causing the floss to violently collide with the gum tissue. This may cause the floss to go below the gum line, causing bleeding and gum recession, which opens up sores allowing infection to get in. 
• Flossing multiple times per day – Flossing more than once or twice a day can cause damage to your child’s gum tissue. As the gums begin to recede, the roots of the tooth will become exposed, causing tooth sensitivity, pain, and damage. We recommend flossing gently once a day. 
• Flossing too vigorously – Lastly, some kids are notorious for being too aggressive when flossing. This can cause the tooth enamel on the sides of the teeth to wear down over time, creating sensitivity of the teeth and bleeding of the gum tissue. 

If you’re not sure how to teach your child how to correctly floss, please don’t hesitate to ask our dental hygienists for a demonstration. In the meantime, don’t avoid flossing just because you’re not sure if you’re doing it correctly. 

To make an appointment for your children at Firestone Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, please contact our Firestone, Colorado pediatric dental office today. Proudly serving patient needs in surrounding areas including Fort Lupton and Frederick, CO for your child's dental & orthodontia needs.