To floss effectively, wrap about 18 inches of floss around your middle fingers, rock it gently between your teeth and curve it in a C shape against each tooth. This guide covers the steps and the tools.
If you haven't mastered the art of daily flossing yet, you're not alone. Many of our patients have questions about how to preserve or improve their oral health. Flossing your teeth, the process of cleaning between teeth with dental floss, is important to avoiding plaque build up between your teeth, which causes cavities and gum disease, two common but preventable dental conditions.
Read on to learn how to properly floss your teeth, step by step. Get to know the latest tools and techniques for interdental cleaning and you can keep your teeth and gums healthy.
Harness the power of habit
It sounds simple, but regular flossing is just a good habit. It's no secret that healthy habits such as flossing teeth are formed through repetition. This neurological process creates lasting behavioural patterns. Try setting a reminder in your phone that prompts you to floss daily. Stick with it and before you know it, you'll automatically reenact the behaviour, just like brushing your teeth.
Find the right floss for you
They say success is all about having the right tools on hand. To make daily flossing as simple as possible, it's important to explore your options and find what works for you. Customizing your flossing technique greatly increases the likelihood that you'll stick with it.
From waxed and unwaxed to minty fresh flavours, the mouth health aisle in your local grocery market or drugstore holds many effective products to research. We recommend waxed dental floss to our patients, as it easily slides between teeth with reduced friction and less chance of shredding.
In recent years, consumer flossing options have grown to include more gadgets such as air flossers, water flossers and more. As with any popular technology, these interdental cleaning tools can be a great way to streamline the flossing process and support overall oral health. A water flosser is a device that uses pulsating water to remove plaque and food particles. Traditional dental floss removes them too.
Learn how to use a water flosser
How to floss your teeth
We believe you should floss in whatever way you will keep doing. However, as dental professionals who get up close and personal with the results of varying methods, we consider the C-shaped method using string floss to be good. This technique keeps the floss in contact with the tooth surface and protects the gum tissue. Therefore, this is the method we'll explain in the following step by step guide to flossing teeth.
Step 1: Take approx. 18 inches of string floss and wrap it around each middle finger for good grip and control
Step 2: Insert the floss between your teeth by carefully rocking it back and forth to prevent snapping the floss into your gums
Step 3: Once inserted, pull the floss laterally around the tooth, creating a 'C' shape that conforms to the tooth's surface
Step 4: Gently floss up and down, allowing the floss to make maximum contact with the tooth surface to remove plaque and debris
Step 5: Ensure the floss is reaching the gum line around each tooth where plaque often accumulates
Step 6: Repeat throughout your entire mouth, adjusting the floss to get a fresh piece for each tooth to avoid spreading plaque and bacteria
Flawless flossing: Tips and takeaways
- Floss daily to remove plaque and prevent cavities and gum disease
- Make flossing a habit with calendar reminders and repetition
- Find the right flossing method for you and stick with it
- The C-shaped flossing method using string floss maximizes contact and cleanliness
Lewis Estates Dental Centre offers family dental care, orthodontic assessment, teeth cleaning and more at 2556 Guardian Road NW. Book a cleaning and ask your hygienist about flossing or call 780-414-5882.