Flossing removes leftover food particles between your teeth and in places where your toothbrush can’t reach. Plaque can cause tooth decay, and flossing can help avoid plaque buildup from eating foods and drinks that stain teeth. However, you need to know how to floss your teeth properly for flossing to work.
Do You Know How to Floss Properly?
Once a patient comes into my office and I have a look into his or her mouth, I know right away if they’re a “Last-Minute Flosser.” You know those people — and you might be one of them — who only begin flossing a day or two before their dental appointment? These are the patients who try to fool the dentist into thinking that they take good care of their teeth. Those patients are very easy to spot.
Their gums are still puffy from gingivitis. Their gums still bleed when we floss their teeth at the office. And there’s a good chance that they have bad breath and a cavity or two.
But, do you know who’s also easy to spot? Good flossers. Those are the patients who routinely floss once a day. These patients have healthy gums, minimal plaque build-up, and they can often leave without seeing my drill.
Basic Tips for Effective Flossing
Flossing once a day is one of the most important and effective ways to keep your teeth and gums both clean and healthy. And if you pair it with brushing at least twice a day – you’re going to have a healthy mouth and shining smile for a very long time.
But one of the most important things to remember with flossing, is that the proper flossing technique is very important to minimize your chance of gingivitis and cavities. Remember, flossing gets the places that you toothbrush can’t.
So here are some tips for some fantastic flossing results:
1) Use a piece of floss about 15 inches long, slide it between your teeth.
2) Wrap it along the side of each, making the shape of a C, then polish the tooth up and down, ensuring that you’re getting down into the gum on each side of the tooth.
3) If your fingers aren’t very flexible, get a floss holder. They’re cheap, easy to use, and allow you to floss with one hand.
So, don’t be a “Last-Minute Flosser.” You’re only fooling yourself if you think that starting to floss before your family dental care appointment will do any good. Brush twice a day and floss daily, and you’ll have a gorgeous smile that can last a lifetime.
If you need to schedule an appointment for a teeth cleaning, you can visit our dentist in Concord Mills, NC. You can also visit our clinics in Northlake and Davis Lake.
-Dr. Taj
For more information, be sure to visit me or my staff at one of the three locations shown below, go to my website at modernfamilydental.com, or watch my Dental Minute videos that deal with flossing.
[table id=2 /]
