Flossing is one of the most important things you can do to improve and preserve your oral health. It’s also something that a great many people either forget to do or do poorly. Brushing our teeth has become an ingrained habit for so many of us: Flossing, unfortunately, is something that seems to take more work to become second nature.
At Dental Specialty Associates, we understand how hard it can be to make flossing a priority when you haven’t in the past. Here’s some of the best advice that we’ve heard about it. Act on these tips and you’ll be flossing with ease in no time.
Quality Over Quantity
You don’t need to floss several times a day. Flossing once a day should be enough, so long as you do it well. Flossing is all about proper technique. If you floss five times a day and do a poor job of it each time, you aren’t doing your teeth any favors. It doesn’t particularly matter when you do it: What matters is that you are consistent about it. Find a time in your day where you can devote a few extra minutes to your dental care and do that DAILY.
It Shouldn’t Hurt
When you first start flossing, it can be an uncomfortable experience. The sensation of floss passing between your teeth is weird and takes some getting used to it. It shouldn’t hurt, however. If you find yourself in pain or bleeding while you floss, you are doing it way too hard! You should do firmly and methodically so you get all the food bits out: not so soft that you can’t jar anything loose, but not so hard as to injure yourself.
Multitask
One way to make it easier to integrate flossing into your daily schedule is to pair it with a different activity. Perhaps you watch a show at a certain time each night- Use the first commercial break as an excuse to floss. You should only attempt this after you’ve done it several times in front of a mirror and you’ve established a good technique. But having a different activity to occupy your mind while you’re flossing can make it a more pleasant and easier activity to get through. And if it’s an activity that you enjoy, that’ll make flossing even easier!
Want To Know More About Flossing?
To find out more about floosing, services we provide or to schedule an appointment with one of our dentists, give Dental Specialty Associates a call at 602-795-5995.
