Sticking a piece of string between your teeth every day may seem like a waste of time and unimportant, but in reality, flossing has profound effects on your dental health. Flossing removes food particles and plaque stuck between the teeth that brushing alone misses. Flossing daily can help prevent gum disease, cavities, bad breath, and other dental concerns. If you dont already floss, it’s time to add it to your oral care regimen. It’s singlehandedly one of the best preventative measures taken to protect your teeth from cavities, periodontitis, and other problems.

*Flossing takes less than two minutes. In less than 5 minutes per day, you can give your teeth complete protection against many oral health concerns that can destroy your smile.*

Who Should Floss?

My dentist in Eagle, Idaho explained that flossing is part of a complete oral hygiene routine everyone should practice. I admit to not understanding the importance of flossing before my dentist visit, but now I never miss a day! I want my teeth as beautiful as they are today when I’m old and gray!

Flossing helps prevent plaque build-up between the teeth and along the gumline, areas a toothbrush alone can’t reach. Brushing your teeth cleans their surface, while flossing is the only effective way to clean between the teeth and keep cavities, gum disease, and other concerns at bay.

Children should start flossing as soon as they have two teeth that touch. Introducing flossing at an early age helps kids establish good oral hygiene habits that last a lifetime. Parents should help kids with flossing until they are old enough to handle it alone, usually around age 7 or 8.

Teens are at a greater risk for cavities and gum disease due to dietary choices, hectic schedules, and lifestyle habits. Flossing is critical for teens since it helps ward off these issues.

Adults should floss at least once per day. Flossing as an adult is also important. Adults often have bad habits like smoking or eating acidic and sugary foods that can impact the teeth. Regular flossing can help reduce cavities, inflammation, adn tooth loss.

If you have teeth in your mouth, flossing should be part of your daily oral hygiene routine if you want to maintain a healthy, white smile for a lifetime.

How Flossing Protects Your Smile

Flossing removes food particles and plaque stuck between the teeth and burrowed on the gum line. A toothbrush typically misses the areas.

Plaque- a sticky film of bacteria that forms on the teeth- can lead to tooth decay, cavities, gum disease, and tooth loss if not removed.

Flossing helps remove plaque, which, in turn, helps prevent plaque build-up and protects your teeth. Additionally, flossing helps keep your gums healthy and prevents bad breath by removing food trapped between the teeth. Flossing your teeth is the easiest way to keep your teeth healthy for a long time to come.

How to Floss

Flossing is simple and easy. Follow the steps below to correctly floss your teeth and smile confidently while protecting your oral health.

1. Pick a Floss: Floss comes in several varieties, giving everyone their choice of products. Varieties include waxed, unwaxed, flavored, and unflavored. Choose a floss you like that makes the task more enjoyable, and prepare to protect your teeth. 
2. Tear The String: Tear an 18” portion of the string from the floss. An 18” section gives you enough floss to use a fresh section for each tooth. 
3. Position the Floss: Hold the floss between your thumb and index finger. Slide the floss between your teeth using a gentle back-and-forth motion. When the floss reaches your gumline, curve it into a “C” shape around each tooth to effectively clean the sides. Move the floss up and down.
4. Repeat Process: Repeat step 4 for each tooth, grabbing a fresh section of floss as you move along your mouth.
5. Rinse Your Mouth: After flossing, rinse your mouth with mouthwash to remove any remaining food particles and plaque. Mouthwash also freshens your breath.

Flossing and rinsing your mouth with mouthwash takes about two minutes- a short amount of time for such a huge reward.

*Don’t forget to floss the back teeth!*

Flossing FAQ

1. How often should I floss?: Ideally, you should floss once per day. Flossing once daily removes food particles and plaque that can lead to cavities and gum disease. Some people may benefit from flossing twice a day—especially those with a history of gum disease or braces—but once a day is generally sufficient for most people to maintain a healthy smile.
2. Does flossing hurt? Flossing should not hurt when done properly. If you are new to flossing, some soreness around the gums can occur. Pain while flossing can indicate gum disease or other problems. It is best to schedule an appointment with your dentist if the pain persists.
3. Can I use mouthwash instead of flossing? Flossing is an important part of your oral hygiene regimen; never skip this part of dental care. Follow up with mouthwash to freshen your breath. 
4. Can I floss if I use braces or dental appliances? Yes, you can -and should- floss your teeth even when using braces or similar dental appliances to correct misalignment issues. Flossing is even more important since food particles and plaque can become trapped underneath the appliances.
5. What is the best type of floss? The best floss comes down to personal preference. Any available floss product will protect the sides of your teeth and gumline. Whether you prefer waxed, unwaxed, flavored, unflavored, or one of the flossing picks, using it daily protects your teeth.

Floss Your Way to Healthy Teeth

Flossing is such an important part of your oral hygiene care routine. It teams up with brushing to keep your teeth clean and protected against plaque, bacteria, and the problems created by them. It can even prevent the development of cavities, and gum disease, and help prevent bad breath.

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