Did you know that solely brushing your teeth will only clean approximately half of your tooth surfaces? This is why we always tell patients to floss every day!
Flossing reaches between the teeth where the brush cannot reach. This removes food and plaque from the interproximal areas where decay often starts.
By correctly flossing your teeth daily, you can help to prevent tooth decay, gum disease and bad breath!
How To Floss:
Tip 1. Wind approximately 45 cm of floss around your middle fingers and grip it tightly between your thumbs and index fingers.
Tip 2. Keeping the thumb and forefingers close together, gently guide the floss between the teeth, taking care not to cut or damage your gums with abrupt movement. You should use a side-to-side motion to ensure the sides of both teeth are cleaned equally.
Tip 3. To clean the “neck” of the tooth, which is the point where it meets the gums, curl the floss and insert it gently under the gum.
Other Flossing Options:
It is not always pleasant or easy to get your fingers into your mouth to operate the floss. There are some other alternatives to make this easier. Some younger patients, arthritic patients in particular, often choose to use floss picks or interdental brushes as shown in the photos below. We have both of these options available to purchase here at the clinic for anyone to purchase.
