Dental floss is a cord of thin filaments used in interdental cleaning to remove food and dental plaque from between teeth or places a toothbrush has difficulty reaching or is unable to reach. Its regular use as part of oral cleaning is intended to maintain oral health.
A picture demonstrating the use of floss to remove dental plaque between the teeth
Dental floss (waxed)
left: floss molded in disposable prongs, top: 135° handle, bottom: 90° handle
Powered flosser
Dental plaque is a biofilm of microorganisms that grows on surfaces within the mouth. It is a sticky colorless deposit at first, but when it forms tartar, it is often brown or pale yellow. It is commonly found between the teeth, on the front of teeth, behind teeth, on chewing surfaces, along the gumline (supragingival), or below the gumline cervical margins (subgingival). Dental plaque is also known as microbial plaque, oral biofilm, dental biofilm, dental plaque biofilm or bacterial plaque biofilm. Bacterial plaque is one of the major causes for dental decay and gum disease.
Heavy plaque
Top: typical presentation of gingivitis. Bottom: healthy gingiva.
Loss of bone due to periodontal disease
Disclosing dental plaque with disclosing tablets