The Guide to Flossing Your Teeth

Did you know roughly 20% of Americans never floss their teeth? Flossing properly removes plaque and food particles where a toothbrush cannot reach easily. Between your teeth and under your gum line are very hard to reach places; a buildup of plaque in those unreached areas can lead to gum disease and even tooth decay. Daily flossing is always recommended.

Although you would assume most adults know how to floss properly, this sadly is not the case. Many people either do it incorrectly or not at all. In order to get the most benefit out of your flossing, please follow these 4 simple steps:

• Get a piece of floss approximately 18 inches in length and wrap it around both middle fingers, with more on one finger than the other. Leave one to two inches of floss to utilize.
• Hold the dental floss tightly between your thumb and index finger, slide it between your teeth up-and-down gently.
• Glide the dental floss between your teeth using a zig-zag motion, making sure to go gently beneath the gum line. Do not use too much pressure, this could cause bleeding and damage to gums.
• Move from tooth to tooth, repeating the process and do not forget your very back teeth! They are susceptible to plaque, gum disease and tooth decay as well.

As times goes on, new methods of flossing have come to the market. Floss picks have grown in popularity, making flossing easier. The drawback is that the floss picks cannot reach all the same areas regular floss can. We recommend using regular floss every so often to ensure you are getting every spot. Dental water jets are another newer method to flossing; it utilizes a stream of pulsating water to remove plaque and food particles from your teeth.

We hope with these helpful tips that flossing becomes an easier, more routine process for you. Remember that a dental checkup is still necessary even if you practice at-home dental care, so contact the best dentist in Pasadena, today!