How to use Dental Floss for your teeth?
Because you’ll be putting your fingers into your mouth, be sure to wash your hands before you reach for the floss. Then just follow these steps on how to use dental floss correctly:
Use enough floss (Wind). Break off a piece about 45 cm (18 inches) long. That sounds like a lot, but you want enough to keep a clean segment in place as you move from tooth to tooth. Wrap most of the floss around either the middle finger or the index finger of one hand, whichever you prefer, and a small amount onto the middle or index finger of the other hand. (Using the middle finger leaves your index finger free to manipulate the floss.)
Guide: Keep a one-to-two-inch length of floss taut between fingers. Use index fingers to guide floss between contacts of the lower teeth.
Slide between teeth Gently slide the floss between the teeth in a zigzag motion and be careful not to let the floss snap or “pop” between teeth. Contour floss around the side of each tooth. Slide floss up and down against the tooth surface and gently under the gum line. Floss each tooth thoroughly with a clean section of floss.
Form a “C”. Make a C shape with the floss as you wrap it around the tooth. Then carefully pull the floss upward from the gum line to the top of the tooth.
Roll along. As you move from one tooth to the next, unroll a fresh section of floss from the finger of one hand while rolling the used floss onto the finger of the other hand. Use your thumb as a guide.
Reach both sides. Don’t forget to floss the back side of each tooth.
This technique applies to any type of floss you use including waxed, unwaxed, spongy floss or dental tape.
It doesn’t matter whether you start with your upper or lower teeth, or whether you start in the front or the back. Just make sure that you floss all your teeth, including the back side of the very last tooth on the left, right, top and bottom of your mouth.
And don’t forget to floss under the gumline and along the sides of teeth that border any spaces where teeth are missing—food particles can become trapped in these spaces, too.
