By adulthood, individuals have all heard that flossing is important to oral health. Although hearing a dentist say that flossing is essential doesn’t truly explain the benefits of flossing and how to do it properly. If you have been flossing all your life or if you are just starting, here are some insights to help improve your flossing game. 

How To Floss

You should floss once a day and start by breaking about 18 inches of floss off the roll. Wind the floss around your middle fingers to unroll as the rest of the floss gets dirty. Hold the floss tightly between your thumbs and forefingers and guide the floss in between your teeth using a gentle rubbing motion. 

When you reach your gums, form the floss into a C against one tooth and gently slide into the space between the tooth and the gum. Never snap the floss into the gums. Don’t forget the back side of your last tooth as well. Work your way up and down each tooth in slow motions. 

Once you are done, make sure to throw the floss away as it will be less effective when it is coated with bacteria. 

Benefits

The most obvious benefit using floss is that it helps clean your teeth, but here are some insights into why cleaning your teeth properly is important. 

Removal Of Plaque

Using floss helps remove plaque from the hard-to-reach places of your teeth. Brushing helps to remove surface plaque, but debris can stay in the cracks between your teeth and cause problems. Plaque is a sticky substance that holds bacteria on your teeth and can cause the wear down of enamel. 

Lower Risk Of Gum Disease

Cleaning your teeth properly is the only way to prevent gum disease. Without cleaning around your gums and your tongue, bacteria can grow and cause your gums to become inflamed. Gum disease comes from an infection in the gums and can lead to gum and bone deterioration if not treated. 

Reduce Inflammation In Gums

If you have avoided flossing for a while your gums may have become inflamed or tender. Flossing can help keep your gums from being inflamed while also avoiding gum disease. Just because your gums are inflamed does not mean that you should stop flossing, it means that you should floss and brush more. 

Different Kinds Of Floss

While all floss and the correct flossing method can all be helpful, there are variations in floss that are available. 

Waxed and Unwaxed

These are the two most common types of floss and most used by adults. 

Super Floss

This type of floss is typically used by those with braces, bridges, or wider gaps between teeth. 

Floss Picks

Convenient and great for traveling or flossing after meals.

Air Flossers

Uses air pressure to push out debris between the gaps in teeth. 

Water Flossers

Uses water to push out debris between the gaps in teeth.

The Importance Flossing

Infections and gum disease are really hard to heal but they are totally preventable with proper cleanings, brushing, and flossing. Using floss can help remove small amounts of food, plaque, and bacteria that could sit on your teeth for too long. Keeping up with flossing can find hidden bits of food that your toothbrush will miss. 

Flossing helps your teeth stay healthier, whiter, and stronger. If you are still struggling with flossing properly you can ask your dentist for tips and help you practice. Don’t neglect to floss for lack of knowledge. 

Do You Need Dental Services?

In addition to using floss, there are many other important parts to keeping your oral health in a good place. One of the things that you can do to take better care of your teeth is to make sure you attend your dentist appointments. We at Mills River Dental offer premium dental services to our clients and their families. Reach out to us to schedule an appointment today!