Flossing or taping between your teeth; how do you do it?
Cleaning between your teeth should be an important part of your everyday routine as it is vital to ensuring your teeth remain clean and strong. However, to get the most out of this process you need to know exactly how to do it, to ensure you are spending your time wisely.
Firstly, you should ask your dentist or hygienist to recommend the best type of floss or tape for you. Once you have purchased floss/tape, break about 18 to 24 inches of it off, and then wind the floss around your two middle fingers. This should leave about 1-2 inches of floss visible. Using your thumb and index fingers, grip the floss and place it gently between your teeth. Then glide the floss upwards and downwards, rubbing against the sides of your teeth. Try not to rub the floss against your gums, as this could cause cuts or bruises. If, however, you experience a great deal of blood whilst flossing gently it could be a sign of gum disease, which you should have inspected immediately.
Whilst cleaning between your teeth, you should try to make get under the tooth as well, to clean and remove and morsels of food that may have been trapped. To do this, make a C-Shape with the floss when entering the area.
You then need to repeat this process for each tooth. With each new tooth make sure to use a new piece of floss/tape so that you that the tooth does not become contaminated with recently removed fragments of food.
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