Are You Flossing Properly?
Poor oral hygiene not only impacts the health of your mouth, but it can be linked to other health issues in your body as well. That’s why it’s important to learn and practice the right way to take care of your teeth and gums. Having good oral hygiene can benefit you in many ways throughout your life.
Dr. Valerie M. Preston and our team of experts at VP Dental focus on giving you superior oral hygiene. Our teeth cleaning and preventive dentistry services keep you smiling with confidence.
Maintaining a healthy mouth includes brushing and flossing. Both are important.
You should brush at least two minutes twice a day with a soft-bristled toothbrush and floss at least once a day. But flossing requires a proper technique to remove plaque effectively.
Flossing the right way
For successful results when flossing, follow these steps:
- 1. Break off 18-24 inches of floss.
- 2. Wrap the floss around your middle finger on each hand.
- 3. Make the string tight while holding it between your thumbs and forefingers.
- 4. Gently place the floss between two teeth at a time.
- 5. Use a back and forth motion without digging into your gums.
- 6. Once the floss reaches your gums, curve it around your tooth using gentle sliding movements.
Even though your back teeth aren’t butted up against another tooth, don’t forget to floss them, too. Proper flossing can reduce the threat of developing plaque and gingivitis.
Different flossing products
The market offers several tools to effectively floss your teeth, including:
Tape
Although similar to dental floss, this ribbon-like floss is flatter and broader to accommodate you if you have braces or large spaces between your teeth.
Standard nylon strand floss
This type slides between your teeth and comes in different varieties that include waxed, unwaxed, flavored, and unflavored.
Super floss
This type has a stiff end that reaches under appliances, such as bridges or braces. It also has a sponginess to effectively clean around any device in your mouth. You can use it as regular floss, as well, to eliminate plaque from underneath your gum line.
Water flosser
This option works well, especially if you struggle with using regular floss. The tool uses water and pressure together to get rid of food particles and plaque from your teeth.
Floss picks
You can easily keep floss picks with you at all times, making them a convenient option. They’re small and disposable, and they can reach the back of your teeth easily for quick flossing.
To learn more about the correct way to floss, we can demonstrate how to do it properly when you come in for your visit. Call our team today at 919-230-6121 or request your appointment online. You can also send our team a message if you have any questions.
