Flossing is an important part of oral hygiene, helping to remove plaque and food particles from between the teeth and below the gumline. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to floss properly:
Select your floss: Choose dental floss that suits your preference, whether it's waxed or unwaxed, flavored or unflavored, or dental tape if you have wider spaces between your teeth.
Cut an appropriate length: Cut a piece of floss around 18 to 24 inches long. This allows you to use a clean section of floss for each tooth and gives you enough length to comfortably hold the floss.
Wrap the ends: Wind the ends of the floss around your middle fingers, leaving about 1 to 2 inches of floss between them. Use your thumbs and forefingers to hold the floss taut.
Guide the floss between teeth: Gently guide the floss between your teeth using a gentle back-and-forth sawing motion. Avoid snapping the floss into place, as this can irritate the gums.
Curve around the tooth: Once the floss reaches the gumline, curve it into a C shape around one tooth. Slide the floss gently into the space between the tooth and the gum.
Clean the tooth: Gently move the floss up and down along the side of the tooth. Be sure to reach below the gumline, but avoid snapping the floss against the gums, as this can cause injury.
Move to the adjacent tooth: After cleaning one tooth, carefully move the floss to the adjacent tooth and repeat the process.
Use a clean section of floss: As you move from tooth to tooth, unwind the used portion of floss from one finger and wind the clean section onto the other finger. This ensures that you're using a clean section of floss for each tooth.
Repeat for all teeth: Continue flossing each tooth, using a clean section of floss for each interdental space. Take your time and be thorough, ensuring that you clean both sides of each tooth and below the gumline.
Rinse and discard: After flossing, rinse your mouth with water to remove any loosened debris. Dispose of the used floss properly.
Flossing should ideally be done once a day, as part of your regular oral hygiene routine, along with brushing your teeth and using mouthwash. If you experience bleeding or discomfort while flossing, be gentle and consider talking to Dr. Itskov or our dental hygienist for guidance.
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