Why you should start Flossing your Teeth

Brushing your teeth in the morning and evening is probably the most reinforced dental habit. However, many parents ignore flossing as a way to take care of teeth. In fact, there are a large number of people who consider brushing their teeth frequently in the day as a replacement to flossing. This is not true.

Flossing is quite different from brushing your teeth. What a flossing session does is reach into those hard to get places, those corners and crevices of your teeth and remove any food particles that have gotten stuck there.

It essentially helps prevent gum diseases and tooth loss. Can you imagine food rotting in your teeth which causes a gum infection? And all of this happened because your tooth brush wasn't able to clean the tight corners of your teeth.

Flossing is better than using a tooth pick too. A tooth pick tries to use brute force to push out the food particle and you will land up damaging your teeth and gum.

Run your tongue through your teeth and you will realize that there are many gaps in-between which a brush won't be able to clean. This is why flossing is important. It gets to places that your brush can't, further enhancing the hygiene of your teeth.

Here are some quick tips to getting your flossing right.

- Pick a Floss
Don't just pick up a string of thread and start flossing your teeth. Ask your dentist which floss would be best for you.

- It's a Sawing Motion
Don't jerk the floss up and down, instead move it in a sawing motion of back and forth. This way the floss enters the crevice gently.

- Pull it Side Ways
Once the floss is in the crevice, pull it sideways so that you scrape off any particles that have gotten stuck to the teeth

- Get the Back Teeth Too
The back teeth are the hardest to get to, but most of the food gets stuck in there since your grinders do most of the chewing.

- Do it Gently
Do not grind the floss into your teeth or gum. Flossing is a gentle process, so don't hurry it otherwise you will risk damaging your gums.

- Do it at least once a week if you have a busy schedule
Flossing is a chore. There are so many crevices in your mouth and it takes longer than brushing your teeth. While it is highly recommended that you do it everyday, a lot of us just can't find the time to do so. In such a case, try to do it at least once a week. Sundays are best since you will actually have a holiday and can spend ten minutes cleaning your teeth in the morning or before going to bed.

The best thing you can do is make flossing a habit. Let it be part of your oral hygiene and you will take care of your teeth even better. In fact, don't be surprised if those random toothaches stop.

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