Periodontal disease is one of the most common chronic infections that adults are facing. In fact, 70 percent of adults over the age of 65 are dealing with gum disease. Yes, some of these cases are related to genetics. However, in many situations, periodontal disease can be prevented simply by improving dental hygiene.

We recently shared a useful guide for building an oral health routine, and a critical part of this daily regimen is flossing. Some people have the misconception that brushing their teeth twice each day eliminates the need to floss. However, when you eliminate flossing from your dental hygiene routine, you’re leaving up to 40 percent of the surface of your teeth uncleaned.

Despite this revelation, only 4 in 10 Americans floss their teeth on a daily basis. Some people skip flossing to save time; however, others choose not to floss simply because they don’t know the proper technique for doing so.

You are doing yourself a disservice by not flossing just because you don’t understand the correct technique. Here are several easy-to-follow steps to help you floss properly and effectively:

1. Choose a dental floss that best accommodates your teeth.

If you have gaps between your teeth, Super Floss is ideal. However, if your teeth are closer together, a wax floss will make it easier to slide between tighter spaces.

2. Pull 18 to 24 inches of dental floss from the dispenser.

This will give you enough length to ensure that you’re only using clean sections of floss so that you’re not reintroducing bacteria and food particles to your teeth and gums.

3. Wrap one end of the dental floss around your index finger and the other end around your middle finger.

Wrap most of the length of the floss around your fingers so that you have only an inch or two of floss to work with at a time.

4. Guide the floss tightly around each tooth in a C shape. Use a push-pull motion to move the floss back and forth and up and down against the sides of each tooth.

Make sure to go beneath the gumline when flossing, but don’t use too much force as it will cut or bruise your gums.

Making flossing part of your daily dental hygiene routine is your best defense against gum inflammation, periodontal disease, tooth decay, and tooth loss.

If you don’t feel confident with your flossing technique, our Ormond Beach dental practice is here to help. We specialize in Periodontics and emphasize the importance of flossing with all of our patients. Contact us to help you evaluate your oral health and keep periodontal disease at bay.