Flossing is an essential part of oral hygiene. It removes plaque and food between teeth where a toothbrush alone cannot reach. Plaque is a sticky white film that collects on your teeth. It contains harmful bacteria that are a major cause of tooth decay and periodontal disease. It is recommended that flossing be performed once each day.

To begin flossing – Wind 18” of floss around middle fingers of each hand. Gently pull and pinch floss between thumbs and index fingers leaving a 1” – 2” length between.

Use thumbs and index fingers to direct floss between upper teeth, and index fingers to guide floss between lower teeth.

 Gently glide floss between teeth by using a see-saw motion. Hug floss around tooth in a “C” shape, then slide floss up and down against the tooth. Move the floss to the tooth on the other side of the same space. Repeat the process for each tooth using a clean section of floss.

If flossing is difficult for you, ask your dental hygienist for suggestions. There are a variety of interdental cleaning tools for you to use. Your hygienist will help you select the best method of flossing with special instructions for your specific dental needs.

** This article written by Nancy Graham, RDH at Gentle Family Dentistry in New Berlin, WI. Copyright© 2007 Gentle Family Dentistry (http://www.gfdonline.com). All rights reserved.