The Proper Technique For Flossing

February 22, 2023
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Flossing is an important part of your daily oral hygiene routine. Flossing cleans in between your teeth and gums that traditional brushing can miss. Flossing cleans an additional 40% of the surface of a tooth that is missed by brushing alone. Don’t skip the floss!

Many of us may not know the proper technique for flossing. So here are step-by-step directions on the proper technique for effective flossing.

Step 1:

Un-spool at least 16-18” of floss. Wrap around the middle fingers of each hand. Pinch the floss between the index fingers leaving 1-2” length in between. Use your thumbs to help direct floss between teeth and gums.

Step 2:

Gently guide floss between the teeth by using a zig-zag motion. NEVER SNAP THE FLOSS BETWEEN YOUR TEETH! Contour the floss into a c-shape around each tooth.

Step 3:

Slide the floss gently underneath the gums up and down in the c-shape against the tooth. Mirror the c-shape to the adjacent tooth and gently floss up and down on the adjacent tooth.

Step 4:

Repeat for every tooth in the mouth.

Step 5:

Floss at least 1 x day preferably before brushing.

Schedule your routine checkup, cleaning, and professional flossing at our Highlands Ranch Dental office today!

Have a question about your oral health or our services? The experts at Cottonwood Dental Group can help!

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