Brushing the teeth takes care of most of the food debris that can harm your mouth, but in between the teeth and under the gums cannot be reached effectively with a toothbrush. In fact these are the most common areas that give rise to tooth decay and gum disease. In order to remove the trapped food particles from these places, one needs to floss regularly.
The contribution of flossing to oral hygiene is often overlooked but it is actually the most important part of dental healthcare. Not only can flossing prevent bad breath and gum diseases, it can even prevent diseases like diabetes. Even among the people who floss every day, there are quite a few who do not follow the correct method of flossing.
Here are some helpful tips for flossing.
Some do’s for flossing:
• Use a length of about 18” of floss twine.
• Wrap the floss twine around your middle finger.
• Now use your thumb and index finger to hold the floss.
• Begin near the gum line and then gently bring the floss down.
• Next gently glide the floss between the teeth with a rubbing motion.
• Curve the floss along the gum line and floss between teeth.
• Just like brushing, set a flossing pattern.
Some don’ts for flossing:
• Do not use the floss in saw like movements.
• Do not reuse the same part. It is likely to be covered with plaque. dd
• Do not floss with aggressive strokes. It may cut the gum and cause bleeding.
• Do not floss in a hurry.
• Do not replace brushing with flossing. Flossing should be done once a day, everyday.
Flossing is as important as brushing. Regular flossing helps to clean in between teeth areas and under the gums. This goes a long way in prevent plaque build-up and removing food debris thus preventing dental diseases.