Preventative dental health care, both at-home and with your local dentist, can greatly influence the state of your health, and it only takes a little time out of your day! Brushing twice per day and flossing at least once per day not only prevents tooth decay and cavities, it helps prevent gum disease thus helping prevent diabetes and heart disease. Preventative dental health goes a long way!

While many people can commit to brushing twice per day, flossing for some reason, is harder to get people to do. Sometimes it can be painful at first and gums bleed so people stop, the spaces are tough to get in and out of quickly, or others may just mindlessly forget. If you can consistently execute flossing in your dental health regimen, you’re one step closer to optimal teeth health.

Flossing is an intuitive act, but there are a couple of pointers to make flossing a little more effective for a cleaner, healthier, brighter smile.

How to effectively floss:

You’ll want to floss your whole mouth, top and bottom, tooth-by-tooth, space-by-space! Begin by holding the floss taut, gently glide up and down between the tooth spaces.

Gently floss just below the gum line and you can either rick the floss from side-to-side or curve the floss around each base of the tooth. As you move through each space and each tooth, use a clean section of floss.

The Knot Method

If you have larger gaps or pockets in your teeth, the knot flossing method could be perfect for you! To benefit from the knot method, you’ll floss just as you normally would, but before you begin you’ll tie a sequence of spaced knots in your floss string. The knots effectively reach and clean larger spaces, removing food debris and plaque for cleaner teeth! If tying knots is too cumbersome, there are floss products on the market that come pre-tied for easier flossing!

Choosing a floss

Choosing a floss that you like will not only make this step more enjoyable, but you’re more likely to do it. Floss comes in a variety of waxed or unwaxed varieties, flavors, and sizes. The floss type is always a personal preference. Waxed flossed can be easier to maneuver from space-to-space, while unwaxed squeaks a bit signaling the plaque and debris had been removed. So, choose a floss you like and consistently commit to using it!

Zen Smiles

If you’ve been lacking a little in the flossing department and need a fresh start, schedule a teeth cleaning with us today!

Call to make an appointment!