It should be ingrained into your dental hygiene routine so well that flossing is as natural as brushing your teeth. Unfortunately, for many people, it’s not, and for others, a cursory pass between a few teeth once in a while is all of the flossing they’ll commit to. However, if you’re among those who take their dental health seriously and you’re diligent about flossing, then you should know if there’s a better way to floss thoroughly without damaging your sensitive gums. To find out, compare your flossing techniques to our professional recommendations.
Tips for Effective Flossing Techniques
- When it comes to flossing, length matters. Use at least 18” of floss to ensure that you have a fresh section each time you move between your teeth. Wrap the floss around each middle finger, and use your thumbs and index fingers to manipulate the strand.
- Floss carefully between each tooth, bending the floss to the contours of each tooth’s side and carefully moving the floss up and down. Bend the floss to match the opposite tooth’s side and repeat, then carefully extract the floss, expose a clean section of it, and repeat for every crevice.
- Don’t rush. Choose a time of day to floss when you know you’ll have the extra few minutes to devote to your hygiene. Taking your time will help ensure that you remove all of the food debris from between your teeth so they can’t feed the bacteria that live in your mouth.
- Floss before brushing your teeth. The particles that you pick out from your teeth’s hiding spots can remain on your teeth and gums, defeating the purpose of flossing in the first place. Brushing afterwards will help remove the extracted food debris from the surfaces of your teeth.
ABOUT YOUR GRAND PRAIRIE DENTIST:
Dr. Quinn Smith is a well-respected and highly experienced general, restorative, and family dentist in Grand Prairie, TX. He takes a patient-first approach that starts from the moment patients enter our Pecan Tree Dental office, and he offers a three-year guarantee on all dental work that he performs. Whether you and your family are new or returning patients, you can schedule a consultation or your next appointment with Dr. Smith by contacting us at (972) 262-5111.
