How to Floss Effectively

Oral hygiene is imperative to ensure that you enjoy healthy teeth and gums now and in the future. Flossing is an important part of any oral health routine that you carry out at home.

While you brush twice daily for two minutes each time, you do only need to floss once daily. Though I do recommend, that if you are suffering with gum disease, that you floss twice daily.

Flossing removes plaque and food debris that gets caught between the teeth. These are areas that your toothbrush cannot access and is often ignored by patients around the world. Taking a few minutes to floss can remove plaque and reduce the risk of tartar, bacteria and infection.

When flossing you want to be gentle. Floss can easily cut the gum if you are too rough, this can lead to infection in the long run. Take your time, flossing doesn’t need to be rushed.

You will find when you walk into a store that there is a selection of dental flosses for you to choose from. There are waxed, un-waxed, dental sticks and more, enabling you to find the one you feel is the perfect match based on your flossing style and requirements.

How to Floss

Flossing is a delicate and yet very easy process. You can easily carry out this oral health routine within minutes, once a day to improve your oral health moving forward.

Start by tearing off a long piece of floss and winding it around the middle finger on both hands. You want to leave at least a one inch section between the fingers, this will be the piece you use to place between each tooth.

Start with your top teeth and once completed move to the lower jaw. Remember to focus between each tooth, including the back teeth.

Place the dental floss in your mouth and using your index finger, gently push the floss between the teeth. Move the floss up and down along the tooth and around the gum line, removing all the plaque and debris.

Pull it out gently and then take a clean section and do the next tooth. Carry on with this process until you have cleaned between every single tooth.

Flossing can help you enjoy your natural teeth for longer. Failure to floss can lead to dental decay and gum disease, both of which can lead to serious dental problems in the long run.