Your dentist and hygienist will encourage you to floss every day. Just brushing twice a day, or even after every meal, isn’t enough for total oral hygiene.
Your gums are the foundation of your teeth. If you want to keep your teeth healthy and strong, you need to make sure your gums are clean and pink. Unfortunately, many of us get a little lax when it comes to the important flossing part of our oral health. That’s why we often bleed when we have our bi-annual cleanings at the dentist.
Bleeding may be the result of simply not flossing, but another reason may be that we are flossing poorly or incorrectly. Practicing the right flossing technique is important for removing all food and plaque buildup on your teeth.
There are five easy steps you can take to care for your gums when flossing:
1. Cut and Wrap the Floss
Cut off the desired amount of floss. Some people will cut what they think they’ll need for their entire mouth; others will cut it shorter, using separate sections for the top and bottom rows. Wrap one end twice around your middle or index finger. Create some space in between, then from the remaining amount of floss wrap twice around your preferred finger on the opposite hand.
2. Pinch the Floss
Hold the floss tightly between your thumb and forefingers.
3. Gently Glide the Floss
Glide the floss gently between your teeth using a smooth rubbing motion. Never snap the floss into the gums.
4. Follow the C’s
Before removing the floss from the spaces between the teeth, be sure to guide the floss down through the curve of your teeth into a C-shape along the inside of the teeth. This massages the gums and scrapes off the food debris and plaque that are sitting on the tooth.
5. Follow the V’s
Guide the floss between the V-shaped spaces between your teeth, flush against the tooth. While you should be sure to get deep, remember not to be too rough. Gently floss along the side of each tooth with up and down “V” motions. Repeat this action between every two teeth in your mouth. Don’t forget to do this for your back teeth as well.
Floss for Healthy Teeth and Gums
Once you’ve finished with a string of floss, be sure to throw it away. Re-using a piece of floss can leave bacteria behind in your mouth.
Practice makes perfect. You may bleed or feel a dull soreness in your mouth for the first few days as your gums are getting used to their daily cleaning. Eventually, you’ll be a flawless flosser with clean, strong, healthy gums.
Contact a Skilled Dentist in Nevada Today
Brush twice a day, floss at least once a day, and give your mouth the best treatment and care it deserves. Healthy teeth and gums are incredibly important to maintaining a healthy body.
Call the dentists at Dedicated Dental at (702) 566-5509 or fill out our easy-to-use online request form to request an appointment today. We look forward to hearing from you.
