How to Floss Teeth

Flossing your teeth only takes a few minutes, and the benefits are huge.

Flossing your teeth is an important part of dental hygiene and has many benefits beyond keeping your teeth looking good. Flossing your teeth regularly helps to prevent gum disease and has even been linked to helping prevent heart attacks and strokes. Flossing your teeth only takes a few minutes, and the benefits are huge. Read on to learn how to floss your teeth.

Things You'll Need

• Dental floss

Instructions

1. Measure out around nine inches of dental floss. For a child, this is roughly the length of the child's forearm.

2. Wrap one end of the dental floss around one of your index fingers. Wrap the dental floss two to three times around your index finger so that it will stay in place as you floss your teeth. Hold the floss in place with your thumb on the same hand.

3. Pinch the dental floss about an inch from your index finger. Use your index finger and thumb on the other hand to firmly hold the dental floss, and pull the dental floss tight.

4. Slide the dental floss along the outside of your bottom molar. Many people forget to floss the outside of their molars, but those teeth need attention, too. Be sure to run the floss under the gum line.

5. Pull the dental floss between two teeth. Move the dental floss to the other side of your molar, and work the dental floss between your teeth. Slide the floss up and down the first molar, running the floss under the gum line, and then do the same thing for the tooth on the other side.

6. Pull the dental floss straight up (for bottom teeth) or straight down (for top teeth) to remove it from between your teeth.

7. Repeat the process for all of your teeth. Be sure to slide the dental floss along each side of every tooth, including pulling the floss under the gum line. Don't forget the outsides of your molars.

8. Use different parts of the dental floss as you go along. After every few teeth, slide your fingers down the dental floss about an inch so you can use "fresh" floss.

Tips & Warnings

• Floss your teeth every day. Work flossing your teeth into your daily routine, such as before you brush your teeth at night. Once flossing your teeth becomes part of your regular routine, you will have no trouble remembering to do it every day.

• You can buy dental floss that is mint-flavored, which leaves your breath smelling like mint afterward.

• Waxed dental floss can be easier to use because the wax makes the floss slide more easily between your teeth.

• Dental floss for children is available that holds the floss taut with colorful plastic characters. While more expensive, this type of dental floss can be easier for a child to use who has a difficult time holding regular dental floss taut.

• If you have not flossed your teeth in a while, then your gums might become sore or even bleed when you start flossing your teeth. This is only temporary. Your gums will become stronger as you continue to floss your teeth regularly.