Visiting the family dentist is not something most people get excited about. Especially, when along with a teeth cleaning, a lecture about flossing comes with it. “Floss at least once a day or you’ll get cavities” is usually the advice from every dentist. Then those few weeks after our dentist visit, flossing is a part of our regular routine. But somewhere along the way it tapers off, and we are back to our old ways.
Flossing is great for your teeth, but it also aids in good breath, healthy gums, and may even protect against diabetes. To reap the maximum benefits from flossing, use the following proper technique:
- Starting with about 18 inches of floss, wind most of the floss around each middle finger, leaving an inch or two of floss to work with.
- Holding the floss tautly between your thumbs and index fingers, and slide it gently up-and-down between your teeth.
- Gently curve the floss around the base of each tooth, making sure you go beneath the gumline. Never snap or force the floss, as this may cut or bruise delicate gum tissue.
- Use clean sections of floss as you move from tooth to tooth.
- To remove the floss, use the same back-and-forth motion to bring the floss up and away from the teeth.
