Flossing is an essential part of taking care of your teeth and gums. It removes plaque along the gum line that can lead to cavities or gum disease from the areas where your toothbrush can't reach. According to the Canadian Dental Association, if you don't floss, you miss more than one-third of your tooth surface.
At Kildonan Crossing Dental Centre, we recommend you floss at least once per day or after snacking. Flossing will help to remove food particles that you can’t see when you look in the mirror. During your next dental visit, we will be delighted to show you how to floss correctly, so that you can floss like a pro.
But here’s a quick recap:
- Take about half a metre (18 inches) of floss
- Wind most of it around one of your middle fingers, leave about fifteen to twenty centimetres and wrap a bit around one of your middle fingers on the other hand
- Hold the floss tightly between your thumbs and forefingers and guide the floss between your teeth using a gentle back and forth motion
- When your reach the gumline, curve the floss into a C against your tooth to reach into the gums
- When you’re done with that area, move the dirty floss to your hand that has less floss on it and move on to the next tooth
- Don’t forget to floss between your molars and back of your last tooth!
Discard your used floss after you’re done. Reusing floss won’t be as effective and can deposit bacteria back into your mouth.
After you’re done flossing, brush your teeth. To maintain good oral health, brush for two minutes twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. Make sure to floss at least once a day or after having particularly sticky foods, or foods that like to get stuck between your teeth.
It’s also important to come in for regular checkups and cleanings! We take a close look at and between your teeth to make sure everything is looking great.We’ll help you stay on top of any dental problems before they start. Come see us at Kildonan Crossing Dental Centre today. We are a full-service Transcona dental clinic located at the northwest corner of Lagimodiere Boulevard and Regent Avenue in Winnipeg.