Is flossing important?

Brushing your teeth twice a day is a good start to ensuring your teeth are in their top condition. But if you’re not flossing daily as well, your oral health could be at risk.

Here’s why you need to add flossing to your daily dental regime.

What Does Flossing Actually Do?

Flossing your teeth helps to remove:

Food particles

Bacteria

Plaque

When you don’t floss, these nasties are left to irritate the gums. This can cause soreness, redness, and even bleeding. Flossing your teeth helps keep every surface of your teeth clean to reduce risk of oral health issues such as gum disease, tooth cavities, and bad-smelling breath.

Flossing is also important for kids’ teeth.

How to Floss Your Teeth Properly

Use the following technique when flossing your teeth:

1. Break off about 18 inches of floss and wind most of it around one of your middle fingers. Wind the remaining floss around the same finger of the opposite hand. This finger will take up the floss as it becomes dirty.

2. Hold the floss tightly between your thumbs and forefingers.

3. Guide the floss between your teeth using a gentle rubbing motion. Never snap the floss into the gums.

4. When the floss reaches the gum line, curve it into a C shape against one tooth. Gently slide it into the space between the gum and the tooth.

5. Hold the floss tightly against the tooth. Gently rub the side of the tooth, moving the floss away from the gum with up and down motions. Repeat this method on the rest of your teeth. Don’t forget the backside of your last tooth.

Once you’re finished, throw the floss away. A used piece of floss could leave bacteria behind in your mouth so do not use it again.

When to Floss Your Teeth

Flossing your teeth should be an essential part of your daily oral health routine. While you need to brush your teeth twice every day, flossing is required just once daily. Whether you floss before or after brushing is up to you.

You may choose to floss either in the morning or at night, but many people like to floss at night to ensure all food debris are removed before bedtime.