Flossing for Beginners: Your Ultimate Guide on How to Floss Properly

Cavities and gum diseases are the main nemesis of your pearly whites. Every single time that you neglect proper oral hygiene, harmful bacteria settle in - slowly at first - between your teeth and at the gum line, and over time, these bacteria breed and proceed to destroy the gum tissue and tooth enamel. Sounds like a grim predicament, right? This is why in addition to brushing your teeth, Dentaleh emphasizes that flossing daily is vital in removing plaque build-up from areas that your toothbrush cannot reach.

But flossing teeth is not as easy as threading floss between your fingers and slip it in between your teeth; in order to maximize its full benefits, you need to learn the proper flossing technique. Most if not all of the dentists working in dental clinics in Singapore would show you the best and safest methods of using dental floss when you visit them for a regular checkup.

Dentist teaching patient how to use dental floss

First Things First

The first thing that you need to do is to wash your hands before you touch the floss. Most people forget this very simple step but that does not mean that you should, too! It is important to wash your hands because it will be in contact with your mouth.

Four Key Words in Flossing

Experts from the American Dental Hygienists Association (ADHA) summarizes the proper flossing technique using four key words: wind, guide, glide, and slide.

1. You need to wind 18 inches of floss on the index or middle finger of your hand and place a short amount on the index or middle finger of the opposite hand. It may seem a lot of floss but it will be enough to maintain a clean section in place when you start flossing.
2. Guide the floss using your index fingers and the thumbs. Pinch the floss while leaving a one- to two-inch segment between your fingers. While the index fingers guide the floss between the lower teeth, you can use your thumbs to floss in the upper section of the mouth.
3. Glide the floss between the teeth. You can do this by using a gentle zig-zag motion. Do not put much pressure on the floss or it will snap. Make sure that you will contour the floss around a tooth's side, too. The best way to do it is to make a C-shape with the floss and then wrap it around the tooth.
4. Last but not least: do not forget to clean the opposite side of each tooth. You can do this by sliding the floss up and down against the surface of the tooth as well as under the gum line. When moving from one tooth to another, use the thumb as a guide to unroll a clean section of floss from the index finger (or middle finger, depending on your preference in the first step) while rolling the used segments of the floss onto the finger of the other hand.

There is no "perfect" type of floss, only proper flossing technique. Whether you are using unwaxed, waxed, or spongy floss, you can utilize the technique above. Choosing the type of floss depends on a person's preference and with so many varieties available in the market today, you can select different types for you and your family members' needs.

There is no general rule that says you have to start flossing with your lower or upper teeth, or the back or the front. The important thing is that you floss all your teeth (including the back and along the sides), under the gum line, and in any gaps, as plaque from food particles can build up there, too.

Other Helpful Flossing Tips

For some people, a hand-held flosser makes the process much easier. The best way to use it is by holding the handle of the flosser firmly and pointing its tip at the area (the lower teeth or the upper teeth) that you want to clean first. You must guide the floss in a gentle zigzag motion around each tooth to prevent the floss from being snapped. You can slide the flosser under the gumline for better cleaning. This technique also works with an electric flosser. Some brands of electric flosser even have angled handles that will help clean the hard-to-reach areas such as the backsides of the teeth.

Proper flossing technique is necessary for people wearing dental appliances or braces. There are special types of floss called orthodontic floss that you can avail to avoid getting floss stuck on the brackets and/or wires. Another option is to use a floss threader, a device with a loop on one end and a pick on the other. In order to use this, you need to put some floss (about 18 inches) across the loop, insert the pick end of the flosser under the main wire of the braces and then pull it through. When the floss is in place, you can follow the same steps of the proper flossing techniques.

Flossing can be done at least once a day and the best time to do it is before going to bed. If you are unsure or have questions about flossing techniques, you can always talk to your dentist. Improper flossing technique can cause more harm than good so it is detrimental to be efficient and at the same time, as gentle as possible. If you rely on an external device such as a floss threader or an electric flosser, make sure that you know how to use it to avoid painful consequences.