Flossing is a technique used to clean the teeth to remove plaque that accumulates between the teeth and the gum line. If the plaque is not removed periodically it increases the growth of oral bacteria that can cause tooth decay, gum disease or any other form of periodontal disease. Flossing is performed using a dental floss, which is essentially a bundle of nylon filaments or plastic fibres.

It is very important to floss your teeth in addition to brushing every day to prevent the build up of plaque. Floss can reach those spaces around your teeth and gums where a toothbrush cannot. It is important to learn the right flossing technique from your London W1 dentist or you can end up bruising your gums. These tips given below may guide you on the right way to floss;

• Break approximately 18 inches of dental floss.
• Wind majority of the floss around your middle finger of the left hand and wind the remaining around the same finger of your right hand.
• Tightly hold the dental floss between the thumb and forefingers leaving an inch of floss in between.
• Insert this between your teeth and gently guide it in a rocking motion taking care not to jerk or snap the floss
• Be gentle when you reach the gums and curve in a C-shape against the adjacent tooth
• Scrape both the sides of all the teeth
• Take care to clean around the edges of implants if any are present.

Your gums may bleed initially when you start flossing; but this will stop once the plaque is broken down. But if the bleeding continues, consult your dentist to check if your flossing technique is correct.