Everybody knows brushing your teeth twice a day is important to dental health. What many people underestimate, however, is how important flossing is to your dental health. Every time you visit the dentist you're probably told to floss, but when you're almost too tired to brush your teeth, it's easy to forget the flossing. While brushing your teeth is a good first step to dental health, it isn't enough because plaque can build up in your gums and lead to gum disease. Failing to floss can also cause food that's stuck between your teeth to form a cavity. Brushing can't possibly clear away all food and plaque, so knowing the right way to floss is important to maintain your overall dental health.

1. It doesn't matter what time you floss. You might think that you'll only get the benefits from flossing if you do it before bed, but that isn't true. As long as you floss once a day, the time doesn't matter. If you're not used to flossing, it might hurt the first few weeks because your gums are tender. The more your gums get used to flossing, however, the less it will hurt.

2. Get the floss into your gum line. While moving a piece of floss between your teeth might prevent you from getting a cavity, it's not going to help your gums. In order for the floss to strengthen your gums and remove any plaque buildup, you need to guide the floss into the gum. Once the floss reaches your gum line, move the floss in the curved space between your gum and your tooth. Bleeding might occur at first, but it will go away over time.

3. Don't snap the floss between your teeth. Floss isn't meant to reach your gums in a snapping motion, it's meant to reach your gums in a motion you would use with a saw. Gently gliding floss up to your gum line instead of snapping it will ensure you don't damage your gum tissue and bleed unnecessarily.

4. Don't forget to floss around dental devices. If you have a dental device in your mouth, such as a bridge or a permanent retainer, you might be tempted to just skip the teeth blocked by device. These areas are especially important though, since your toothbrush probably has a hard time reaching them as well. If regular floss can't reach gums and teeth in these spots, you can use a floss threader that helps get to hard-to-reach areas. 

Knowing the right way to floss won't only make it easier to do so; it will also keep your teeth and gums at an optimal level of health.

To learn more, visit a website like http://www.fortcollinsdentist.com. 

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