How to Floss Your Teeth

Contrary to popular belief, flossing isn't just a way to dislodge food wedged between your teeth. Regular flossing reduces cavities, gum disease and bad breath by helping to remove the bacterial film called plaque that forms along the gum line.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Dental Floss
• Electric Toothbrushes
• Mouthwash
• Toothbrushes
• Toothpaste
• Dental Floss
• Toothpaste

1. Take 12 to 18 inches of floss and grasp it so that you have a couple inches of floss taut between your hands.

2. Slip floss between teeth and into the area between your teeth and gums as far as it will go.

3. Floss with 8 to 10 vertical strokes to dislodge food and plaque.

4. Try to floss at least once a day. The most important time to floss is before going to bed.

5. Floss before or after brushing ' either is fine.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember to floss all your teeth, including behind your rearmost molars.
• Preloaded dental floss on disposable plastic handles is available for people with limited finger dexterity. This works as well as conventional floss does.
• You may experience some bleeding at first. Don't worry; this is normal.

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[goldilox288]

on 1/24/2009 definitely check out this awesome product called brytonpick...it makes flossing a million times easier and you can fit it in your wallet/take it everywhere.
the website for the product is www.brytonpick.com

on 1/4/2006 You can never go wrong with baking soda. It cleans and whitens the teeth very well.

on 12/30/2005 Antibacterial toothpaste and soaps advertises that they're more effective at killing disease causing germs than regular toothpaste and soap. To the average person such a product, with the ability to kill more germs, seems to be more effective. But is a more powerful antibacterial product always better?

Antibacterial cleaning products have fast become a popular alternative to traditional ones. The majority of cleaning products are considered antibacterial. Antibacterial should mean that they decrease a person's chance of getting sick. But, recent research is showing just the opposite.

Toothpaste works by binding to food debris and plaque and germs. This along with the mechanical action of the toothbrush and floss cleans the mouth.

Brushing with or without toothpaste does a good job of removing food debris and plaque and germs and doesn't kill all the bacteria. Antibacterial toothpaste and other cleaning products are usually made with triclosan and some include triclocarbon. These antibacterial agents are suppose to target certain bacteria.

However, recent research has shown that triclosan doesn't kill off all the bacteria. It kills only weak bacteria leaving the stronger bacteria to reproduce. Antibacterial products are strengthening bacteria instead of killing them off and are creating super bugs. Bacteria, like any living organism, learns to adapt to survive. The killing off weak bacteria contributes only to the well being of more powerful bugs.

The overuse of antibiotics, along with the use of antibacterial products are actually increasing the chance of a super disease happening. These modified products are no protection against viruses, which cause many illnesses as well.

In the mouth and everywhere on the body there are bacteria, harmful and friendly, they're a normal part of living. This existence, called the normal flora, consist of friendly bacteria and harmful ones (as well as viruses), and the friendly bacteria helps keeps it all in check. Disease and illness happens when this balance is removed. The use of antibacterial products can change that balance and help the harmful bacteria multiple, and become stronger.

Hospitals use antibacterial cleaners effectively to reduce bacteria in an environment that's a breeding ground for bacteria. However, bacteria killing products are so readily available that they're being abused. Even the American Medical Association has begun to question the use of antibacterial soap among doctors.

Antibacterial products are more trouble than they're worth, and are no more effective than traditional products. Most people don't brush or wash their hands long enough, or effectively and therefore germs spread. Studies of antibacterial products show that there's no real way to prevent the spread of bacteria. Instead of trying to wipe bacteria out we should limit our exposure to harmful bacteria with good old fashion cleanliness, like brushing and flossing routinely, and effectively.

Want to know how to keep your mouth healthy? See your local dental hygienist, theyÂ’ve been trained to prevent oral disease.

on 11/22/2005 I have teeth that are very close together. Until the Glide brand floss, I didn't do it because it would always break, get stuck, or go in so hard once I got it in that it would make my gums bleed. So, if you have teeth that are very close together and flossing is difficult, the Glide brand floss is the best I've found yet.

on 11/22/2005 First floss, this removes any plaque from between your teeth. Then rinse, use something like Listerine. Finally brush with a fluoride toothpaste. If you rinse after you brush, the fluoride gets washed away.