The point of sticking to a good hygiene routine is to control the harmful plaque (a biofilm of oral bacteria) and food particles that collect on your teeth every day. Keeping them under control helps you prevent the issues that they can cause, such as gingivitis (the first stage of destructive periodontal disease). In addition to brushing your teeth at least twice a day, that also requires flossing every day to remove these substances from between your teeth. Today, we examine a few ways in which you can make sure you’re flossing well enough to consistently protect your smile from dental health trouble.

A Few Tips to Be Better

• Be sure to use enough floss – As you floss your teeth, you must use a fresh section of the floss for each tooth. Therefore, be sure to start off with enough to make through all of them. Usually, about 18 inches is enough, with most of it wrapped around one finger and the other end wrapped around the same finger on your other hand.
• Follow your tooth’s curve – After gently maneuvering the floss between the first two teeth, carefully wrap the floss around one of them to ensure the floss spans the tooth’s side completely. When you’ve finished with one side, curve the floss around the contour of the opposing tooth and continue.
• Move the floss up and down – For each tooth, carefully move the floss in an up-and-down motion to thoroughly dislodge plaque and food particles. Be firm enough to ensure that you clean the tooth’s surface, but gentle enough not to cause harm to the tooth’s enamel or the surrounding periodontal tissues.

Learn More About Taking Better Care of Your Smile

Flossing is just one part of an overall good hygiene routine, but doing it right every time is vital to preventing issues like destructive periodontal disease. To learn more flossing and taking care of your smile properly, schedule a consultation with Dr. Kania by calling her periodontal office in Encinitas/San Diego, CA, at (760) 642-0711.