dental bulletin  #2

How to Floss Your Teeth

In this bulletin we would like to discuss the benefits and the techniques of flossing. We distribute free floss to our student patients at the school-based clinics we conduct.  Do you use it too?

Proper flossing removes plaque and food particles in places where a toothbrush cannot easily reach - under the gumline and between your teeth. Because plaque build-up can lead to tooth decay and gum disease, learning the proper way to floss your teeth is important. It is recommended that you floss on a daily basis.

Proper Flossing

To receive 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, 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.

Please call us with any questions or comments.