Dental Hygiene

Proper Flossing Techniques

Flossing should be done every day because it removes the plaque and food between your teeth that brushing alone cannot. Flossing is easy and doesn't take much time. If you do not usually floss though, it may take awhile to get used to it

Here are some easy steps to follow:

1) Remove a piece of floss as long as the tip of your fingers to your elbows. Wrap most of it around one of your middle fingers and the rest around your other middle fincger, which is also where you'll wrap the dirty floss as you use it.

2) Grip the floss tightly between your thumbs and index fingers.

3) Slide the floss gently between your teeth slowly so you don't hurt your gums.

4) After you've placed the floss between your teeth and up to your gum, curve it into a C-shape and gently slide it up and down along your tooth and in the space between your tooth and your gum.

5) Do this between each of your teeth. Don't forget to roll off clean floss as you move to the other teeth.

If you follow these steps every day, you'll have cleaner teeth, fresher breath and a better chance of avoiding cavities.