Flossing is an important part of dental care and it needs to be done at least once a day. Using floss, you can access the parts of your teeth your toothbrush cannot clean.

However, it is important you do it the right way. Improper use of floss can result in cuts, causing discomfort and leaving you vulnerable to oral infections.

In this article, our dental experts at Most Dental in Las Vegas, Nevada, share some tips on how to correctly and effectively floss teeth.

How to Floss Your Teeth 

A length of floss, about 18-20 inches, needs to be broken off and the ends have to be coiled around the middle finger of each hand. There should be a section of about 1-2 inches available for use.

The part of floss to be used must be held securely between the thumbs and forefingers and then be glided very gently in between two teeth and moved up and down both sides of the tooth.

Take care not to dig into the gum when flossing. In order to access the space between the gum and tooth, curve the floss like a C and move it against the tooth along the gum line.

Floss each tooth using a clean section of floss every time and wrap the used part around one of the middle fingers. Once you are done, discard the floss. Brush your teeth to clear away the bits of food removed during flossing.

Flossing With Braces 

Flossing with braces can be cumbersome and you must take care not to dislodge any of the wires. Stand before a mirror to help ensure proper flossing around the braces and the teeth.

First, the floss needs to be threaded between the wire and the teeth. Use your index fingers to wrap the ends for better control. Carefully work the floss up and down the sides of each tooth.

While flossing the upper teeth, go up the side of one tooth, then try making an inverted U at the gum line before gliding down the other side of the tooth. Now, the floss needs to be unthreaded very carefully from behind the wire and the same steps need to be followed for the next two teeth until you are done flossing.

To learn more about how to floss your teeth correctly, call Most Dental at (702) 871-0304 or visit us at 6392 W Spring Mountain Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89146.