Have you flossed your teeth today? You should have taken care of it this morning, but you’d be surprised how many patients completely forego flossing. If you have yet to floss, that’s okay. Just as long as you’re doing it at least once a day after a meal. Many patients don’t realize just how vital flossing is for oral health. Sure, brushing your teeth is very important, but it’s just one-half of the equation to achieving great oral health. Flossing isn’t hard to accomplish, it just requires a certain level of dedication. When you consider the alternative to not flossing, it’s easy to see why it’s vital for optimal oral health.
Not everyone knows how to floss properly, but with a little guidance you can start improving your oral health. Our Sugar Land, TX office has a dental staff that is both professional in everything they do and friendly towards all of our patients. Our general dentistry services are designed to keep your oral health in fantastic shape, and good at-home dental hygiene is a part of that. Dr. Davey is a general dentist that Sugar Land and other residents can trust to help keep their oral health intact. If you have no clue how to floss or could use a refresher, you’ve come to the right place
Flossing – Why?
If you have yet to floss today, consider the following:
Do you remember what you ate the night before?
It sure was good, wasn’t it? Those same tasty morsels have been broken down and are presently sitting in between your teeth. If you don’t floss, these same food particles can rot which can then lead to excessive tooth decay and harmful bacteria overtaking your mouth. Not only that, harmful bacteria can invade your gums and leave them in bad shape. Brushing can help remove some of the lodged food particles, but that’s why floss is so thing anyway – to slip in between teeth comfortably and remove any signs of leftover food particles. A toothbrush’s bristles just aren’t durable and long enough to completely remove particles from between teeth.
The Proper Flossing Technique
If you were to search “proper flossing techniques” on the internet, you’ll find many different methods. We’ve always stuck to one method that is tried and true. Below is a step-by-step flossing technique that can be highly beneficial for your morning or evening dental hygiene routine.
- Stretch out 18 inches of floss and wrap the ends around your middle fingers.
- Pinch the floss between your thumbs and index fingers while leaving between one and two inches of length.
- Use your thumbs to gently floss between your upper teeth in a zig-zag motion.
- Move on to the bottom teeth maintaining the same technique.
- Curve the floss into a “C” shape and wrap it around each tooth moving up and down.
- Be sure to get underneath the gum line, too
As you can see, it’s not a very time-consuming process. It’s easy work for maximum benefits.
Schedule a Checkup
While brushing and flossing are important, it’s even more important to schedule a checkup at least once every six months. This gives us a chance to thoroughly examine your mouth and teeth for any issues that may cause problems. Dr. Davey and the dental staff are ready to start helping you live a life with excellent oral health.
