How often should I floss my teeth ?

  We were asked by a patient today when the best time of day to floss is and how often? Most dentists stress that patients should be flossing their teeth daily.  For people with a high decay rate, it is a good idea to do it more than once a day.

Our dentist recommends that most patients floss at night after brushing their teeth. For those with a high decay rate, it would be beneficial to brush, floss and then brush after every meal.

How to Floss – Daily flossing is the best way to clean between the teeth and under the gumline.  Flossing not only helps clean these spaces, it disrupts plaque colonies from building up, preventing damage to the gums, teeth, and bone.

1. Take 12-16 inches (30-40cm) of dental floss and wrap it around your middle fingers, leaving about 2 inches (5cm) of floss between the hands.
2. Using your thumbs and forefingers to guide the floss, gently insert the floss between teeth using a sawing motion.
3. Curve the floss into a “C” shape around each tooth and under the gumline.  Gently move the floss up and down, cleaning the side of each tooth.

Floss holders are recommended if you have difficulty using conventional floss.

Brought to you by the office of Brian S. Nylaan, D.D.S.