Upgrade your Basic Flossing Knowledge

Preventive dentistry is designed to help you keep your smile healthy, clean, and gorgeous. One of the important elements of a good dental self-care routine is flossing. Albuquerque dentist, Dr. Mark Miller, educates patients on a daily basis regarding proper flossing protocol. Some of this information may be old news to you, but there could be a fact or two about flossing that you don’t know. At the very least, how about a little refresher course on flossing?

Timing of Flossing

Flossing is much more important than many people realize. While a large percentage of the American population avoid flossing regularly, true preventive dental care relies on these thin threads to reach all of the areas of your teeth where debris and germs can collect. It’s common to think flossing should occur after brushing, but this is actually not the best way to go. Floss first so that any particles you remove from your teeth won’t remain sitting on the surfaces of your smile, causing damage throughout the day.

Flossing Your Teeth: The Steps

1. Pick a floss:  The oral hygiene aisle of your local drugstore should have multiple options. You may feel overwhelmed with the number of products available. Just make sure that you choose a floss that meets your dental needs and provides a comfortable experience you’ll be happy to repeat daily. If your teeth are very close together, for example, you might want to try a waxed floss that glides easily in snug spaces. If you have limitations with hand or arm movement, special flossers with plastic handles may work better for you.
2. Get the right amount: Measure an arm’s length of flossing thread from the plastic container. Wind each end of the strand around each of your middle or pointer fingers. Grasp a small section of the floss with your thumb. You may need to adjust these exact instructions for your personal preference.
3. Get ready: Place the dental floss behind the last tooth on one side of your upper or lower jaw. Utilize gentle sawing motions to move the floss between two teeth at a time. Make sure to floss all the way up into the gumline by carefully forming a “C” shape around each tooth.
4. Brush and rinse: Once you’ve finished your flossing routine, you should follow up by brushing your teeth and rinsing your mouth with water. Additionally, you may choose to rinse with a fluoridated antibacterial mouthwash.

Visit your Albuquerque Dentist

For more tips and tricks to keep your smile healthy and clean, call Snow Park Dental in Albuquerque, New Mexico at (505) 596-4479. Or visit us online at snowparkdental.com.

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