Oral hygiene habit is not limited to brushing teeth and having mouth wash alone. It includes flossing once a day. Flossing dislodges food trapped in between teeth. Food that is stuck between teeth causes bad breath, bacteria, and plaque build-up. Later on, they become cavities and gum disease.

Toothbrush and mouthwash are not enough. Yet, many do not even floss their teeth. Flossing once a day is highly recommended. Likewise, flossing properly is greatly encouraged because incorrect flossing can damage gums and teeth.

Step-by-step Guide on How to Floss Properly:

  1. Get your dental floss and cut a 24-inch length.
  1. Wind the floss around your middle fingers leaving one to two inches of floss for your teeth.
  1. Hold the dental floss with your index fingers and thumbs and start gliding the taut in between teeth.
  1. Gently rub against each tooth while avoiding any scratch on your gums.
  1. Curve the floss to the left to reach the base of the tooth. Then, rub it repeatedly to remove the food stuck in between teeth.
  1. Curve the floss to the right to reach the base of the other tooth. Then, rub it repeatedly to clean the other tooth the same way as you rub the previous.
  1. Remove the dental floss in between teeth and move to the clean section of it by pulling the taut to the left.
  1. Position the clean part of the floss in between the index fingers and glide it from tooth to tooth repeating the same process.

What if you have braces?

Flossing with braces is complicated. It takes a longer time. You have to insert the floss over and under the wire to clean in between teeth. In addition, it is best to use waxed dental floss to avoid it from breaking and wedging on the braces. Tricky as it may seem, but here is the best guide to flossing your teeth with braces correctly.

  1. Get about 24 inches of waxed dental floss.
  1. Wind it around your middle fingers leaving about two to three inches for your teeth to be flossed.
  1. Hold the dental floss with your index fingers and start inserting the taut in between teeth over the wire using a mirror and a floss threader to make sure that it goes as where it should be.
  1. Thread the waxed dental floss between your teeth over the wire of your braces to reach the base of each tooth.
  1. Form a curved line on the left and glide gently on the side of the tooth. Form a curved line to the right and clean the side of the next tooth.
  1. To clean the lower part of each tooth, move the floss under the wire and repeat the process of gliding to the left and right to dislodge everything in between teeth
  1. To move on to the next two teeth, gently remove the floss behind the wire. Make sure to do this smoothly while pulling the floss as it could dislocate the wire of the braces.
  1. Move to the clean section of the floss and repeat the process.

Dentists use water and air flossers to easily clean in between teeth. However, if these are not available, make sure to have your dental floss at home.

When to floss your teeth?

Floss first before brushing your teeth. If you floss after brushing, the plaque and food dislodged in between teeth remains in the mouth.

Flossing is encouraged every day. A person must floss his or her teeth once a day to take care of the teeth, avoid bad breath, cavities, and gum disease.

What type of floss should you choose?

Floss comes in different types. There is a standard floss which is a thin nylon strand and is good for closer teeth or very tight spaces. This kind of floss can be flavored or unflavoured and waxed or unwaxed. The floss with wax coating helps to glide in between teeth without difficulty especially on tight spaces.

Additionally, there is a broader and flat ribbon called dental tape, which makes it easier to hold if you have braces and large gaps in between teeth.

Furthermore, there is this super floss. It has three components: a hardened end to floss easily underneath appliances, a spongy floss to remove plaque around braces, and a regular floss to take away tartar and clean underneath the gumline.

Last but not the least, there are disposable floss picks. They help floss the hard-to-reach teeth at the back of the mouth.

Will you settle for a toothbrush, toothpaste, and mouthwash alone?

Maintaining clean teeth and fresh breath includes flossing and knowing how to floss. You should not settle on brushing your teeth alone. It is not good oral hygiene at all.

Flossing is a must. It is the best way to remove all of the bacteria and plaque that were not taken away during brushing. When you floss, you are helping yourself to prevent tooth decay and gum disease. Obviously, bristles cannot go in between teeth to scrape the food that was stuck in tight spaces. Thus, flossing is highly encouraged. Only flossing can take away the food particles that were stuck in between teeth. If you do not floss, you are letting the bacteria live on your teeth. They thrive because of the unremoved particles of food. Because of this, cavities start to form because bacteria release acid that destroys your enamel. Teeth deterioration will start. It goes with bad breath. The plaque that remains became will destroy your gum line and will become gingivitis and give you gum disease.

Do not let this happen. Improve your oral hygiene with the complete tools for maintaining healthy teeth and gums. Include dental floss in your hygiene and floss your teeth every day.

However, you should not overfloss. Once a day is enough to avoid gum scratches. Do it in the morning or before bedtime to have a complete oral hygiene habit.