3 Things You Shouldn't Be Doing When Flossing Your Teeth

22 August 2018
 Categories: Dentist, Blog


Flossing is supposed to be a daily habit. If you're doing it regularly, then you're already doing better than many people, since a surprising number of people skip flossing their teeth every day, even when their dentists recommend that they do so. However, even if you're flossing every day and thinking that you're doing the right thing, you could be making some mistakes yourself. Avoid these three common things that some people do when flossing their teeth to do a better job and improve your oral health.

1. Skipping Around Your Mouth

Many people who floss do so aimlessly. Instead of working with a plan in mind, they may just floss in-between random teeth without really thinking about it, all so that they can get the chore done more quickly. If you aren't working with a plan in mind when flossing, though, you might be skipping certain teeth or not spending enough time on each tooth. If you think that you're guilty of this, start working in quadrants when flossing, and move from one tooth to the next instead of skipping around. Also, don't rush through the job. Make sure that you're spending enough time on each side of each tooth to really get rid of any food particles or build-up.

2. Flossing Last

If you're in the routine of brushing your teeth first and then flossing, it's time to get out of that habit. When you floss your teeth, tiny pieces of food can end up all over your mouth. If you've just brushed your teeth, then your just-cleaned mouth might be full of germs and food particles again. Instead, make flossing your teeth the first step of your at-home dental routine. Then, you can brush and use your favorite mouthwash. This will let you get the chore that you might dread the most -- flossing -- out of the way first. Plus, it will leave you with a cleaner mouth.

3. Not Using Clean Floss

The idea of saving your old floss and using it day after day might sound disgusting to you. If you aren't changing your floss enough during each flossing session, though, you're doing something similar. Many people use the same piece of floss to floss their entire mouth. This can obviously spread food and germs throughout your mouth. Make sure that you take off a large enough piece of floss when you get started and move the floss so that you're using a clean part with each tooth.

For more information, contact your local dentistry clinic. 


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