What is the best way to floss my teeth?
You want to clean your teeth with floss (waxed or unwaxed is up to you) by “sawing” the floss between your teeth. Gently pass the floss under the gum tissue as you wrap the floss around the corner of the tooth. Clean by moving the floss up and down approximate 10 to 12 times. Use a new area of the floss as you progress from one tooth to the next.
Flossing your teeth should be done once a day. This helps to remove plaque that builds up between the teeth and under the gumline and cannot be removed by a toothbrush. Begin by taking about 18 inches of floss, and winding the ends around the center fingers. Next grip the floss firmly with the index fingers and thumb. Guide the floss between the teeth using a gentle sawing motion, scrape the sides of the teeth but be careful not to snap the floss onto the gums. Unwind the floss when needed to ensure that a clean piece is used for every tooth. Don’t forget to floss between the back teeth as well as the front teeth. If your gums bleed or feel tender from flossing, do not be alarmed. The gums often take a little time to become accustomed to flossing. If your teeth are crowded, you may find it easier to use a specially coated mono filament floss, such as Colgate Total Floss, to avoid shredding and breaking the floss.
You want to clean your teeth with floss (waxed or unwaxed is up to you) by “sawing” the floss between your teeth. [Snapping the floss between the teeth is a common cause for hopping around the bathroom holding your mouth and cursing the dentist s name who told you how to do this.] Gently pass the floss under the gum tissue as you wrap the floss around the corner of the tooth. (Don t you just worry when someone tells you there are corners to round teeth)? Clean by moving the floss up and down approximate 10 to 12 times. Try and use a new area of the floss as you progress from one tooth to the next.
Break off about 18 inches of floss and wind most of it around one of your middle fingers. Wind the remaining floss around the same finger of the opposite hand. This finger will take up the floss as it becomes dirty. Hold the floss tightly between your thumbs and forefingers. Guide the floss between your teeth using a gentle rubbing motion. Never snap the floss into the gums. When the floss reaches the gum line, curve it into the shape of a “C” against one tooth. Gently slide it into the space between the gum and the tooth. Hold the floss tightly against the tooth. Gently rub the side of the tooth, moving the floss away from the gum with up and down motions. Repeat this method on the rest of your teeth.
