How to Floss

It's a new year, and a perfect time to double check your methods for brushing and flossing. If you're not used to flossing, you may feel discomfort when you first start, but don’t give up! With daily brushing and flossing, that discomfort should ease within a week or two. If your pain persists, talk to your dentist. Here are some tips on flossing:

	Break off about 18 inches of floss and wind most of it around one of your middle fingers. Wind the remaining floss around the same finger of the opposite hand. This finger will take up the floss as it becomes dirty.
	Hold the floss tightly between your thumbs and forefingers.
	Guide the floss between your teeth using a gentle rubbing motion. Never snap the floss into the gums.
	When the floss reaches the gum line, curve it into a C shape against one tooth. Gently slide it into the space between the gum and the tooth.
	Hold the floss tightly against the tooth. Gently rub the side of the tooth, moving the floss away from the gum with up and down motions. Repeat this method on the rest of your teeth. Don’t forget the back side of your last tooth.

For more information on flossing, visit the American Dental Association.