Floss Like A Boss: Flossing Tips & Techniques
Home > Floss Like A Boss: Flossing Tips & Techniques
Importance Of Flossing
Flossing your teeth is a step that works in conjunction with brushing. Due to its size, dental floss is the only tool that can reach the nooks and crannies between your teeth.
Brushing your teeth without flossing can leave the food debris and plaque between your teeth which can cause tooth decay and gum disease.
Unlike brushing, you can floss at least once a day before you sleep. Do it at nighttime to prevent the prolonged exposure of your teeth to the invisible film of plaque which increases your risk for tooth decay.
Many patients tend to dislike flossing because their gums bleed whenever they try it. However, the gums can adapt to the stimulation of flossing and will eventually stop bleeding the more you continue to floss. Always floss when you brush your teeth so you can achieve the maximum benefits of oral hygiene.
Proper Flossing Technique
- Cut an 18 to 22-inch string of dental floss. Wind it around your middle fingers in both hands and leave a 10-inch gap between your hands. Your middle finger will help prevent the floss from slipping in your hands and will free up your index fingers and thumb.
- Use your thumb and index finger to straighten the floss and slip it between your teeth. If the space is too tight, you may slide the floss back and forth until it gets between the two teeth.
- To clean the gaps between your teeth, create a C-shape curve towards the side of one tooth and move the floss in an upward and downward motion. Repeat the process on the side of the other tooth in the gap.
- As you move to another gap, adjust the floss and use a new part of the string.
- Make sure to clean your teeth right at the gum line. Do not move the floss inward or outward to avoid hurting your gums.
Dental Floss Options For Comfort
There are other types of floss available in the market if string-type dental floss is not your cup of tea. The most child-friendly options are the plackers or floss picks due to their convenient plastic handle where the string floss is placed.
For patients with sensitive gums like pregnant women, water flossers can be a good alternative. They are gentler to the gums and easier to use.
Another tool you may use is a floss threader that allows you to insert the string floss in tight spaces under an orthodontic appliance and denture retainers to remove food debris.
If flossing is not a part of your oral hygiene for several years, you might have a developing tooth decay between your teeth. As a trusted family dentist in Elkin, NC. ManiDental provides comprehensive dental treatments, which include cosmetic dentistry, general dentistry, and orthodontic dentistry.
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