Flossing

How to floss?

Flossing begins with selecting a dental floss that is easiest for you to use. Floss comes in a variety of shapes and materials. Floss can be used with your hands or secured in a holder. Woodlake dental can provide you with samples of different flosses to help you find what works best for you.

The aim of flossing to to remove materials from the surfaces in between your teeth and at the gum line that cannot be removed by brushing alone. To begin take 12 to 18 inches of floss and wind one end around each middle finger. Then grasp the floss with the thumb and forefinger of each hand, leaving about an inch of floss between. With the floss pulled taut use a sawing motion to insert it between the two teeth. As the floss travels between the tooth surfaces pull it towards one tooth and gently down below the gumline. Raise the floss above the gumline and repeat for the other tooth surface. Repeat this procedure for each tooth surface including the back of the rear molars. If the floss becomes frayed wind the floss between your middle fingers to expose new section of floss.