Flossing is just as important as brushing in order to remove plaque and food particles that are not easily reached by your toothbrush. Plaque tends to hide in between your teeth and around the gumline causing tooth decay and possible gum disease. Flossing protects your gums, teeth, and can even help prevent other diseases that stem from poor oral hygiene. To ensure proper oral hygiene, flossing is recommended to be done at least once daily in addition to your normal brushing routine.
Tips On How To Floss
- Use a strand of floss about 18 inches long and wrap the strand around your index and middle fingers giving yourself about 2 inches of the strand between them to floss with.
- With the strand held tight, slide the floss between your teeth using a back and forth motion and then continue to clean using an up and down motion.
- When moving from tooth to tooth, make sure to use a clean section of the floss.
- When at the base of each tooth, curve the floss and gently go under the gumline. If done with too much pressure or force, this can cause bleeding and bruising to the gumline.
- To remove the floss, instead of pulling it straight up out of the tooth, use a back and forth motion to remove it gently.
Different Types Of Floss:
- Waxed floss: Standard dental floss that is coated with a thin layer of wax. This kind is more resistant to breaking or fraying and tends to be easier to slide between your teeth.
- Unwaxed floss: Thin nylon yarn composed of about 35 strands twisted together to create a strand of floss. More likely to break or fray than waxed floss.
- Flavored floss: Some waxed flosses come in flavors such a spearmint, cinnamon, etc. The use of this floss is based off personal preference.
- Ribbon tape floss: This floss is broader and flatter than standard floss. This makes it better for covering larger portions of the teeth and better for larger gaps between teeth.
- Fine Floss: A finer floss is more beneficial for flossing between tightly spaced teeth.
- Whitening floss: Helps to remove stubborn stains between teeth and near the gumline.
Filed Under: Best Way To Floss
