Dental tape is a relatively new product to appear on the oral hygiene product landscape. In many ways dental tape is similar very similar to dental floss. The tape is essentially a small ribbon made of woven nylon threads. And just like dental floss, it comes in waxed and unwaxed varieties with different flavor options.
Many people prefer dental tape because it is thinner than floss. This is especially true if you have tightly fitting teeth or have struggled in the past with snapping floss into your gums which caused them to bleed.
In some cases people with braces and bridges prefer dental tape because it fits between their dental work easier and is more flexible for those hard to reach areas.
You can use dental tape in much the same way that you would use dental floss with a few minor exceptions. When working with dental floss, you need to spool about 18 inches around your index finger. Spooling dental tape, however, can compress the tape into a strand with irregular texture.
When you spool out the next section you might need to flatten or stretch out the tape to return it to the original flat shape. Some people might find this to be tedious. If that is the case for you, you might want to try spooling out multiple smaller strands around 10 to 12 inches in length.
If you have questions about floss or dental tape please feel free to call our office at 541-754-4017 or ask us about it at your next appointment. We look forward to hearing from you!