Patient Education
How to floss your teeth
The Spaces Your Brush Can’t Reach
Why flossing matters
The surfaces between your teeth are simply not accessible to a toothbrush — the best way to clean them is by flossing. Like brushing, the ideal is to floss after each meal, but once a day (before going to bed) is the minimum necessary to keep those surfaces healthy.
The technique
- Cut a piece of dental floss about 2 feet long
- Wrap each end around your middle fingers
- Using your index fingers and thumbs, glide the floss gently between your teeth one by one
- Press the floss against the side of each tooth — hug the tooth — and move it gently back and forth, up and down
- Repeat on the opposite surface of the adjacent tooth before moving on
Make sure you’re not cutting into your gums — the goal is to clean the tooth surfaces, not the gums themselves. If your gums bleed at first, keep at it gently; bleeding usually settles as they get healthier. If it persists, mention it at your next visit — it can be an early sign of gum trouble we should look at.
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