FLOSSING: It will help you build stronger teeth

Flossing helps to remove plaque from in between your teeth, in areas that your toothbrush can’t reach. It is not the space between the teeth you are flossing, but the tooth surface.

1. Wrap about 18 inches of floss around the middle fingers of your
hands:

2. Holding the floss tightly (use your thumbs and forefingers) gently
guide the floss between your teeth. Never “snap” the floss as this
can cut the gums.

3. When the floss reaches the gum line, curve it into a C-Shape
against one tooth and gently slide it into the space between the
gum and the tooth until you feel pressure against the tooth.

4. Gently scrape the side of the tooth wit the floss. Repeat this
method on all your teeth. Move to a clean area of floss after one
or two teeth.

5. Don’t be discouraged with your first attempt. Flossing is a skill
that is learned after a while, it will take only a few minutes
of your time!

What are some great flossing products our office recommends? The new Waterpik for hard to reach back areas. Click here to go to Waterpik’s Website and find out more. We do have Waterpik’s at our Naperville Dental office for our patients to help you stay healthy.

Why doesn’t everyone floss?
Here are the top 10 reasons
(From the American Academy of Periodontology):

1.My hands are too big and I have no dexterity.
2.The floss pushes the food down further into the pocket.
3.My gums bleed.
4.I get my teeth professionally cleaned twice a year, so I don’t have to brush and floss.
5.It takes too long.
6.It gets in the way of my sex life.
7.Losing teeth is part of aging.
8.My teeth are too tight for the floss to get through.
9.I’m afraid of damaging my gums when I floss.
10.I went hiking and forgot to bring dental floss

Flossing is crucial to maintaining and promoting a healthy smile that will last for your entire lifetime. Surprisinlgy, the ADA reports only one-third of Americans floss regularly! What’s the result of not flossing your teeth? Gum disease that can result in bad breath, and eventually tooth loss.

Keep Your Smile Healthy, practice flossing your teeth and make it part of your routine dental care.

Tags: 10 reasons people don't floss, bad breath, build stronger teeth, flossing removes plaque, how to floss, maintain and promote a healthy smile, naperville dental office, prevent gum disease, tooth loss, use a waterpik

This entry was posted on April 7, 2010 at April 7, 2010 and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.