How to Floss to Prevent Cavities
Flossing is absolutely essential when striving to prevent cavities. Cavities are caused by acid produced by the bacteria found in plaque that is attached to tooth enamel. You can prevent plaque from having the opportunity to damage your teeth with acid by removing it from the surface of your teeth. Unfortunately, regular brushing really only cleans plaque off about 65 percent the surface of a tooth. You have to floss in order to clean the entire tooth's surface.
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Instructions
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Get in the habit of flossing at night. If you fail to floss at night, plaque is allowed to sit between your teeth and at the gum line for hours while you sleep. During that time, acid is being produced that can eat away at your enamel and cause cavities.
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Break off about 18 inches of floss. You can use more or less depending on your preference.
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Hold the floss tightly between the index fingers and thumbs on both hands. Leave about 1 to 2 inches of floss exposed.
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Work the floss in between two teeth using a zigzag motion. Be careful not to thrust the floss violently between the teeth, as you may injure the gum underneath.
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Mold the floss to the shape of the tooth and work it into the space between the gums and the tooth surface.
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Remove plaque from the gum line and in between teeth using gentle up and down motions.
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Repeat the procedure on the tooth next to it.
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Expose a new clean section of floss.
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Move on to the next set of teeth and continue working your way around your mouth until all of your teeth have been flossed.
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Rinse your mouth out to wash away any plaque or food debris that was dislodged by the floss.
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Tips & Warnings
Flossing should be done at least once a day.
If you are unsure about the proper method of flossing to prevent cavities, ask your dental hygienist for a demonstration at your next cleaning.
Dental floss holders and other similar devices can help take some of the awkwardness out of flossing.
When beginning flossing for the first time after a while, some bleeding from the gums is common and indicative of a need for better dental hygiene. After flossing regularly for a short time, your gums should not continue to bleed.
Don't forget to floss your back molars. They can be hard to reach, but they are perfect hiding places for plaque and can get cavities easily.
