Do you mean to floss but never get around to it? Are you ashamed to admit it to your dental hygienist?
More of us need to floss, according to the American Dental Association (ADA). According to an ADA survey, only half of Americans say they floss once a day and one in 10 say they never floss.
If you want to avoid bleeding gums, bad breath or both – take time to floss. It’s easy.
Here are some tips on flossing:
- Pull out about 18 inches of floss and wind most of it around the middle finger on one hand. Wind the remaining floss on the same finger of the other hand. You should have just a few inches between your fingers.
- Hold the floss between your thumbs and forefingers, and gently run it back and forth between each tooth.
- Curve the floss along the gum line of each tooth, and slide it up and down.
With good oral health, you can keep your teeth and gums strong and your body healthy.
Brushing removes plaque from a tooth’s surface. But brushing by itself is not enough to keep tooth decay and gum disease at bay. Flossing at least once a day helps clean plaque from hard-to-reach places between teeth and under the gum line. Flossing lowers the risk of cavities and helps prevent gum disease.
So take the time to floss. Learn more about the types of floss available. Your dentist can help you pick out one that’s best for you.
