The health benefits of flossing your teeth

This image is a collage of different people. The upper left is of an asian chinese female walking with her walking aid recovering and helped by her daughter The second is a shot of a young couple hiking through the mountains during a cold and fresh day. Both having a backpack and bottle of water while having an outdoor adventure. The bottom image is a portrait of a mother with her little daughter. They are sitting on the sofa at home, looking at camera.

Flossing should be an important part of your daily oral hygiene routine. It removes the food stuck between your teeth and under the gumline—places a toothbrush can’t reach. Removing trapped food reduces the amount of plaque and bacteria that would otherwise build up in your mouth. Over time, accumulated plaque hardens into tartar. This can lead to tooth decay and gum disease. Once tartar forms, only your dentist or hygienist can remove it.

How to floss

The American Dental Association recommends brushing twice a day and flossing once daily. Cleaning between your teeth shouldn’t be painful. If you floss too hard, you could damage the tissue between your teeth. If you’re too gentle, you might not get the food out. Feeling some discomfort at first is normal, but don’t give up; it should ease within a week or two. If the pain persists, talk to your dentist.

Try different options until you find the flossing method that works best for you. For example, dental picks might help you get to hard-to-reach places. Water flossers might be a good option if you have trouble flossing by hand or have dental work that makes flossing difficult.

Flossing tips

1. Make sure that the floss you choose fits properly between your teeth

2. Loosely wrap 18 inches of floss around your middle fingers until you have about two inches left between your fingers

3. Holding the floss firmly between your thumbs and index fingers, gently slide the floss in a C-shape up and down between your teeth, working it beneath the gumline on both sides

4. Move to a clean section of floss and repeat until you have cleaned around each tooth

We know that adding another item to your to-do list is the last thing you want to do. The good news is, once you get the hang of flossing correctly and make it part of your daily hygiene routine, the short time you spend flossing each day will pay off in ways you never imagined. You’ll have fewer serious dental issues, better overall health, and save money.