Flossing for Success

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Brushing teeth is foundational for good oral hygiene, but it must be paired with interdental cleaning for best results. Cleaning between teeth is most easily achieved with dental floss, which is capable of reaching many areas that your toothbrush cannot. With brushing along with dental flossing, you can ensure all areas of your exposed teeth are cleaned. This is vital to keeping gum disease and tooth decay at bay.

The type of floss you use and the techniques you use are just as important as the habit itself. Keeping your teeth clean requires you to properly floss, every day. No breaks! When choosing a dental floss, look for a shred-resistant type, specifically a single filament thread.

When flossing, never use the same section of a thread more than once. To accomplish this, try to aim for a thread length around 18 inches in length per session. At this length, it can be wrapped around a finger on each hand loosely to ensure that you can move up and down the thread as necessary, using a new section of thread per tooth. After flossing between each tooth (don’t forget to floss behind the back row!), dispose of the floss. Flossing should take about 2-3 minutes per session.

If you are struggling to use conventional dental floss, try other interdental cleaner options, such as pre-strung flossers, floss for sensitive gums, or water flossing. The most important thing is to get your teeth completely clean!

If you are showing signs of tooth damage, come visit Lighthouse Dental & Orthodontics for treatment today. With the helpful support of Dr. Samuel Richey and dedicated our team at our dentist office in Riverton, Utah, we can restore your smile to its former glory. To schedule an appointment, call us at 801-446-6310 today!