Your Complete Guide to Dental Flossing

News, Oral Care

In this article, we look at all things dental flossing. How to do it properly, how often you should floss, the benefits of flossing and more.

Flossing should be an integral part of everyone’s oral care routine, but unfortunately, that’s not always the case. It can sometimes feel like a bit too much of a chore to get the floss out when we’re tired and ready for bed or running out the door on our way to work. In fact, only about 32% of adults floss daily. But we’re here to help you change that! We’re going to run you through how to floss with ease, as well as go over a few other helpful tips to make sure you’re flossing as often as you should and taking the best care of your oral health.

If you have braces, take a look at our blog on how to floss with braces. If you’re after something different, we also have a blog on the best alternatives to flossing!

The House Of Mouth is a leading provider of oral care products in Australia. We have a huge range of flossing products, as well as interdental picks, brushes, and flossettes, and power flossers.

How to Floss

Flossing is essential to maintaining good oral hygiene, as it helps to remove food particles and plaque from between the teeth and under the gumline. Here are some steps you can follow to floss your teeth correctly:

Begin by taking approximately 30 – 45 cm of floss and wind it around your middle fingers on each hand. Hold the floss so that the string is tight and use your thumbs and index fingers to control it.

Gently slide the dental floss between your teeth using a back-and-forth motion. Be careful not to snap the floss into your gums, as this can cause injury (be gentle!).

Once the floss is between your teeth, curve it into a C-shape against one tooth and gently slide it under the gumline. Then, slide the floss up and down along the side of the tooth. Repeat this process on the adjacent tooth.

After cleaning the space between the teeth, remove the used floss by pulling it out from between your teeth. Never reuse the same piece of floss in another space, as this can reintroduce bacteria and plaque.

Move on to the next space using a new section of floss. Repeat this process for all of the spaces between your teeth, including the back teeth.

If you find traditional floss difficult to use, consider using a flossette, which is a plastic tool with a small piece of floss attached, or a water flosser, which sends a stream of water in between your teeth. This can help you reach difficult areas between your teeth and under your gum line.

By following these steps, you can learn how to floss your teeth correctly and maintain good oral hygiene. If you have any questions or concerns about flossing, don’t hesitate to ask one of our dental professionals for help.

How Often Should You Floss?

Dentists and dental associations generally recommend flossing at least once a day to maintain optimal oral health. Flossing helps remove plaque and food particles from between your teeth and under the gumline, where your toothbrush may not be able to reach. Regular flossing can help prevent cavities, gum disease, and bad breath.

However, individual needs may vary, and it’s always a good idea to discuss your oral hygiene routine with your dentist or dental hygienist. They can provide personalised recommendations based on your specific dental health and needs.

The Benefits of Flossing

Flossing offers many benefits. Some of the key advantages of regular flossing include:

Removal of plaque and food particles in hard-to-reach places: Flossing helps remove food particles and plaque that get stuck between teeth and below the gum line, where toothbrushes can’t reach. This reduces the risk of developing cavities and gum disease.

Prevention of gum disease: By removing plaque, flossing helps prevent the buildup of tartar, which can cause inflammation and irritation in the gums, leading to gum disease (gingivitis or periodontitis).

Freshens breath: Flossing removes food particles and bacteria that can cause bad breath (halitosis), resulting in fresher breath and a cleaner-feeling mouth.

Reduces the risk of tooth decay: By regularly removing plaque and food debris, flossing can help prevent the formation of cavities, which can lead to tooth decay and tooth loss if left untreated.

Improved oral health: Regular flossing, combined with proper brushing and dental checkups, can help maintain overall oral health and prevent dental problems in the long run.

Prevention of other health issues: Research has shown a link between poor oral health and systemic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, respiratory infections, and stroke. By maintaining good oral hygiene through flossing, you may reduce the risk of developing these conditions.

Aesthetics: Flossing can help keep teeth clean and looking their best, which can boost self-confidence and make you feel more comfortable in social situations.

The Best Alternatives to Flossing

Some alternatives to flossing include interdental picks, interdental brushes, flossettes/individual flossers, water flossers, and power flossers. Find out more in our blog about the best alternatives to flossing.

How to Make Flossing a Habit

One of the hardest parts of flossing is making it a habit, yet doing so is vital to harnessing the benefits.

Well, the lack of instant reward or gratification from flossing makes it harder to cement it as a habit. This is why we recommend two things, based on the psychology of habit.

Create a simple and obvious cue like any time you sit down to watch TV, read, or otherwise relax after dinner, you floss first.
Create a clearly defined reward: like being able to enjoy your favourite way to relax in the evening!

This is only one example and you can alter the cues and rewards to be more specific to your likes and dislikes, but the general rule applies.