Sean Abidin, DDS • Vanessa Cao, DDS phone (614) 882-9828

How To Floss Properly

Everyone knows flossing is an important part of daily home oral care. However, if you do not floss properly, your efforts will be in vain. When you want your teeth to be perfectly clean, and not damage your gums, start with some easy flossing tips.

Dental Tips For Flossing:

  • You need both hands when you want to floss properly. 18 inches of dental floss should be wound around your middle fingers.
  • Holding one or two inches of the floss, make sure the floss is taut.
  • Using your index fingers, carefully guide the dental floss between your teeth.
  • With a zigzag motion, glide the dental floss between your teeth.
  • To clean an individual tooth, contour the floss around each side. Gently slide the floss up and down. Clean the surface of each tooth, and clean underneath the gum line.
  • Every tooth should be thoroughly cleaned with a fresh section of dental floss.

These tips are appropriate regardless of the dental floss you use. They are also appropriate if you use a hand-held flosser or an electric flosser.

Flossing If You Have Dental Work:

Braces and other types of dental work require special care. Your dental appliance will stay in better condition when it is kept clean.

As standard dental floss can become tangled in braces, you should ask your dentist for advice. Orthodontic floss and a floss threader are two options to consider.

Flossing can mean the difference between excellent oral health and dental problems. When you floss correctly, plaque that leads to gum disease and tooth decay will be removed. You will be at a much lower risk of dental issues when you make daily flossing part of your home oral care routine. If you are not sure which floss to buy, ask your dentist to recommend a suitable product.

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Sean Abidin, DDS & Vanessa Cao, DDS