Flossing instructions
Why is flossing important? Most cavities and gum disease begin between the teeth. While brushing is important, the bristles of your toothbrush simply do not remove the plaque and bacteria from between your teeth. That’s why we recommend that you floss everyday.
How to floss
Don’t worry about the type of floss, they all work pretty much the same.
Wind 18 inches of floss around your middle fingers of each hand, leaving about 5 inches between your hands. Pinch the floss between your thumbs and index fingers and leave about one inch in between to work with.
Gently glide the floss down between the teeth using a side to side motion. If your teeth are too tight to floss, or if it catches or tears, let us know. These are problems that need to be fixed.
Pull the floss tightly in a C-shape around the side of the tooth and slide it under the gumline. Clean the surface of the tooth by moving the floss up and down several times to remove all of the food and bacteria. Then pull the floss around to the next tooth and repeat the process. Wind the floss to a fresh section and gradually work your way around your mouth cleaning both sides of every tooth. If you have problems reaching some areas, you many want to use a floss fork or floss pick.
If your gums are infected, they will bleed when you floss. That is to be expected if your just beginning to floss your teeth. After a week or so of regular flossing, the bleeding should go away and you will be well on your way to a healthier smile!