I’ve always wondered what the purpose is, also are they actually stabbing your gums or just near enough to make them sensitive? There has to be a more complex medical reason then just telling people they need to floss
In: Biology
I had a dentist push so hard on a tooth trying to find a cavity that I almost fell out of chair. After digging and digging and pushing he finally admitted no cavity.
Dentists and dental hygienists use a small measuring device in the form of a dental tool and place it between your gum and your tooth and see how far down it goes. The spacing is something like: 1-3 is great, 3-4 is moderate, and it gets progressively worse up to 7 I think. The more the little tool can be pushed down into the gum the worse your gum health is. You will bleed if you haven’t been flossing. Flossing gets the bacteria out from those areas where the bristle from a toothbrush cannot reach. If you don’t floss regularly then you most likely will end up with gingivitis and your teeth will rot. You will end up with false teeth. So floss everyday! It takes one minute. Your teeth are worth it!
I assume you’re talking about when they probe your teeth. They place the probe in the pocket between your tooth surface and the gum. They’re checking for depth or how far it can go in. If it goes in further than a certain amount, its an indication that you may have periodontitis – Inflammation of the periodontium (structure that amongst other things, keeps your tooth in place) which usually goes hand-in-hand with inflammation of the gums (Gingivitis) that both may result in bleeding gums when probed or when you brush there.
A way to improve the condition is to floss correctly once a day, as it removes any food or debris that bacteria present in those pockets can feed on and cause the inflammation. Make sure your brushing technique is correct and you get into those pockets with your brush too.
Source: 4th year student – take my answer with a pinch of salt.
They prod your gums to see how they react to pressure, they should be firm and not bleed easily. I was instructed to brush my gums to toughen them up when i was a teenager, after 6 months on the next checkup they were much healthier. Also use a firm brush and it will work wonders, soft brushes i have found to be next to useless and distort very easily.
Brush your tongue also as this can also get clogged up with plaque and debris so it will help to be scrubbed.
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