Your teeth will be around for a lifetime—if you take care of them well and visit the dentist twice a year. You already know that brushing twice a day is essential, but when you add daily flossing, you’re protecting the health of your teeth and gums by removing bacteria and plaque that can cause decay and gum disease. Here are some flossing tips that will make flossing easy.

Do:

Floss at a convenient time.

It doesn’t matter if you floss in the morning, at night, or in the middle of the afternoon, as long as you do it once a day. Floss whenever it’s most convenient and at a time you’ll remember. Consider keeping a container of floss in your desk drawer at work.

Use plenty of floss.

Flossing is difficult if you don’t pull enough floss out of the container. Give yourself about 18 to 24 inches, which should be enough to wrap the ends around your index and middle fingers. If you have too little, you’ll have trouble holding onto the floss, which will make it difficult to get enough leverage to slide the floss between your teeth.

Don’t:

Use too much pressure.

Sawing the floss back and forth forcefully will hurt and damage your gum tissue. Slide it gently between your teeth and move it back and forth slowly, and then up and down, all the way to the gums. If you’re flossing for the first time in a while, don’t be alarmed if you bleed a little.

Be discouraged.

It may take a few tries to get comfortable with flossing. Don’t give up, even if you forget to do it a few times. Other than brushing, flossing is the best way to prevent gum disease, which can lead to tooth loss in the advanced stages. Ask your dentist to demonstrate good flossing technique if you’re not sure that you’re doing it correctly.

If you need a refresher on flossing, contact North Bullitt Family Dental in Shepherdsville, KY. With a trustworthy, efficient family dentist that will take care of your oral health, their team will help you get back to your busy life. They use the latest technology to make procedures like root canals and tooth extractions as comfortable as possible, and they offer cosmetic dentistry solutions that will make you love your smile. Call (502) 955-1606 to schedule an appointment, and visit them online to learn more about their services.