We see plenty of patients in Greenville SC who slack on flossing their teeth, and everyone at Jacques Dentistry can't stress enough just how important flossing is! If you are only brushing your teeth, then you aren't cleaning the sides of the teeth where they touch each other. Leaving plaque and food debris between the teeth leads to cavities and gum disease.
So, are you ready to floss? Ok. Well, lets make sure that you are doing it the correct way!
1. First, take out about 18 inches, or an arm's length of floss. Wrap it around your middle fingers.
2. Then pinch about an inch length of floss between your thumbs and index fingers.
3. Glide the floss between your teeth in a smooth motion. Do not snap the floss, which can injure your gums.
4. Slide the floss between the tooth and gums in a C-shape, hugging the tooth and slipping just below the gumline. Slide the floss down the first tooth and back up the side of the next tooth before removing it.
5. Move to the next teeth and repeat!
If you are out of practice, you may find it easier to start with your front teeth so that you can see what you are doing. The back teeth are flossed more by feel. If you have a hard time reaching your hands around your back teeth, make sure that you are not opening your mouth too wide. Closing a little and relaxing your cheeks allows you to retract them easier and give you more working room. Don't get frustrated -- you will get the hang of it!
And if you see bleeding, do not take that as a sign that you should stop flossing! In fact, it is the opposite! Bleeding gums indicates that you haven't been cleaning around your gums as well as you should: left behind plaque causes inflammation of the gums and bleeding. So keep flossing, and all that bleeding will go away within a couple weeks.
Ok, we think you're ready now. Keep calm and floss on!
