How to Floss Properly

Flossing always seems to be a tedious chore, just something the dentist says we need to do but never really explains why. Well, today I am going to explain the importance of flossing and why exactly everyone should be doing it.

Flossing is very important to the overall health of the mouth. Brushing teeth is very important as well, but floss is for the little nooks and crannies that are very easily missed by a toothbrush. Floss is used to get into those nooks and crannies and get the remaining plaque out of the mouth.

Plaque is a thin, clear film that forms over teeth throughout the day. It becomes harmful when it remains on the teeth for more than 24 hours. Plaque, when mixed with things like sugars can form a kind of acid that eats away at teeth and causes cavities. If plaque still is not removed past that point, it can cause gingivitis which is the swelling and inflammation of the gum tissue. If flossing still does not occur once gingivitis sets in, eventually one could obtain periodontal disease, which basically means the supporting structures of the teeth start to wear away causing teeth to fall out. Gingivitis is reversible, meaning if flossing begins to occur regularly the swelling will go away. Periodontal disease on the other hand, once it has started can not be cured. Now we see why flossing is important to the mouth and supporting structures of the mouth.

The only supplies really needed for flossing is the floss. However, to some, putting bare hands into the mouth may seem unsanitary or “gross” so gloves could also be useful for this as well.

Take about 10 inches of floss out of the floss container. Then, take each end of the floss in each hand and begin to wrap each end around each middle finger until there is about 3-4 inches of taught floss between the hands.

Place the taught 3-4 inches into the groove in between two teeth. Gently see-saw the floss back and forth through the space in between the two teeth until a “snap” sound is heard. If the floss does not create the “snap” sound, try pushing a little harder until the sound is heard. The “snap” indicates that the floss has made it in between the two teeth into the area that plaque forms the most.

Once the floss has made it into the space between the teeth, pull the floss against the side of one of the two teeth to form a “C” shape. Once the “C” shape has been formed, gently pull the floss up and down, making sure to keep the “C” shape and making sure to not pull the floss out of the contact space.

After performing step 5, pull the floss in the same “C” shape against the side of the other tooth in question. Perform the same series of motions from step 5. Repeat these 6 steps for all teeth in the mouth.

Once all in between surfaces have been flossed, the next step is to floss the farthest back molars. There is no contact, or rather “in between” space for those specific teeth. So, what needs to happen is: placing the taught section of the floss against the back side of that tooth and gently performing the “C” shape and up and down motion, making sure not to slide off the tooth.

Congratulations! The flossing is now finished! The plaque has been removed and the teeth are nice and clean. Taking 5 extra minutes either before or after brushing teeth to floss can be very beneficial. It doesn’t seem fun at first, but the feeling of the clean teeth afterwards makes it all worth it.