A PATIENT wrote into Kissdental recently asking about the benefits of flossing and why it is important. Surprisingly few people consider flossing to be an important part of their daily oral hygiene routine.

It is well documented that most cavities and periodontal disease begin between the teeth. While brushing is important, the bristles of your brush simply don’t reach between teeth. To keep your gums and teeth healthy, you must remove the plaque between your teeth at least once a day using dental floss.

I’ve never flossed before - how do I do it?

Don’t worry about the type of floss. They all work pretty much the same. Wind about 18 inches of floss around the middle fingers of each hand, leaving about 5 inches between your hands. Pinch the floss between your thumbs and index fingers and leave about one inch in between to work with. Gently guide the floss down between the teeth using a side-to-side motion. If your teeth are too tight to floss, or if it catches or tears, let your dentist know about it. These are problems that need to be fixed.

Pull the floss tightly in a C shape around the side of the tooth and slide it under the gum line. Clean the side of the tooth by using an up-and-down motion, not side-to-side. When all the plaque has been removed the floss will squeak as it rubs against your tooth. Then pull the floss around the next tooth and repeat the process.

Wind the floss to a fresh section and gradually work your way around your mouth, cleaning both sides of every tooth. If you have problems reaching some areas, you can use a special flossing holder available from your dentist. If your gums are infected, they’ll bleed when you floss. That’s to be expected if you are just beginning to floss. After a week or so of regular flossing the bleeding should stop. See your dentist if it doesn’t.

I’m still not sure how to floss - can somebody show me?

At Kissdental our hygienists are keen to educate patients on the correct techniques of flossing and brushing your teeth, as well as using products such as mouth washes and tongue cleaning to eradicate bad breath problems. If you would like a thorough clean to give your oral hygiene routine a kickstart, our hygienist can remove all traces of plaque and tartar build up using the latest polishing pastes and gentle scraping. It is important to visit the hygienist at least three times a year to keep on top of your oral hygiene and monitor your teeth and gums for signs of disease so that we can nip it in the bud at an early stage.