Knowing how to floss your teeth is just as important as brushing them, if not more so. When we floss our teeth we remove decay-causing food particles and bacteria that our toothbrush just can’t reach.
We have written a quick tutorial on how to floss your teeth effectively to maintain good oral health. Ask any local dentist Santa Barbara CA is made even more beautiful when it is full of healthy smiles!
Not sure how to floss your teeth? Just follow these five easy steps.
1. Choose floss.
Choose dental floss that works best for you. It is available in waxed, unwaxed, flavored and unflavored varieties.
2. Pull out about 18 inches of floss.
This amount allows you to use a clean section of floss in each space. You do not want to remove food particles and bacteria from between one pair of teeth only to introduce them to another part of your mouth.
3. Wrap both ends around the middle fingers of each hand, leaving a couple of extra inches at the ends.
4. Gently slide the floss between your teeth.
Move the floss in an up-down and front-back motion, making sure to get below the gum line, then remove the floss and move to the next space. As you progress from one space to the next, unwind the floss from one hand and take it up on the other so that you are using a clean section each time (see step 2, above).
5. Toss the floss.
Never use a length of floss more than once, as this will replace all the decay-causing debris you already removed.
If you are unsure whether you are flossing effectively, we recommend you ask your Santa Barbara dentist during your next visit, and don’t forget to have a dental checkup and cleaning every six months. Your mouth will thank you.