Dental floss is an excellent dental cleaning practice that can increase the lifetime of your teeth and reduce any chances of developing serious gum issues. By flossing your teeth daily, you ensure that all the debris stuck in your teeth gets cleaned which is otherwise unreachable by a brush.

Flossing also helps you reduce or completely get rid of bad breath too! But in order to reap the numerous benefits of dental floss, you need to know how to do it properly. Believe it or not, there are still millions of people around the world who have trouble properly flossing their teeth.

Good flossing starts in the pharmacy where you pick your dental floss from. Did you know that there are two forms of dental floss widely available? Each of these provide a different experience which is why it is important to know which one to pick for your teeth

For starters, Floss either comes in Nylon form or PTFE (monofilament) variation. Both may look same from the outside but they work differently. For example, Nylon floss is made up of several strands of nylon fabric which are prone to break apart. On the other hand, PTFE floss is made with a single strong strand which is capable of taking a lot of force and is best used to clean tight spaces between the teeth.

Dental Floss is also available in various flavors but that doesn’t affect the performance and are just there for individual preferences.

Once you have picked the right floss for your teeth, here are the steps you need to follow to make sure you get a perfect dental floss every single time.

Floss before brushing your teeth

• Flossing your teeth before brushing ensures that any particle left behind by the floss can be cleaned afterwards with a toothbrush. To make sure you get the best floss, always use at least 18 inches of thread wrapped around the middle fingers of both your hands.

Use your thumbs to floss instead of index fingers

• When you wrap the floss around your middle fingers, you can easily use your thumbs to apply force to floss your teeth. This not only ensures better flossing but also helps you reach areas that are otherwise tough to reach using index fingers. In the end, try and experiment with both your thumbs and index fingers and go for the technique that is best for you.

Don’t be too aggressive

• Once you start flossing each and every tooth from side to side, make sure that the force you apply is as gentle as possible. The more aggressively you deal with the dental floss, the more are the chances your gums may start to bleed.

Floss using various motions

• When the floss is on the sides of your teeth, make sure you use various motions to clean them. Go for a ‘C’ motion followed by straight left to right and then finally up and down. This will make sure every corner of your teeth is clean and free from debris.

Dental flossing can be tough if you are new to the cleaning method. But with enough practice and the right technique, you can easily floss your teeth within minutes and reap all its benefits.

If you are unable to floss in the traditional way, never hesitate to look for other options that are easily available for beginners. You can easily find floss holders, floss threaders, superfloss, and water flosser which make cleaning your teeth a whole lot easier.