Brushing is important the most important thing you can do for your teeth. However, it is not the only thing that will help keep your teeth free from cavities.
This is because it won't remove the plaque and particles of food that often get stuck between your teeth or under your gumline. To remove this hard to reach stuff you should always use floss at a minimum of once a day.
There are a variety of different types of floss your local store will sell. The type that you choose will largely depend on the amount of space you have between your teeth. Most dentists will recommend unwaxed floss. This is because it is thinner and easier to slide through the small spaces.
Note that most studies show that there is no major difference in the quality of job that a particular floss will do.
It is important to make sure that you do no damage to your gums while you are flossing. To make sure that you do a good job, while ensuring the integrity of your gums, follow these basic guidelines:
A. Be carefully while inserting the floss between your two teeth. Use a back and forth motion to gently bring the floss all the way to the gumline.
B. Curve the floss around the edge of your tooth in the shape of the letter "C" and slide it up and down the side of each tooth.
C. Repeat this process between for all of your teeth.
Why should I floss?
Flossing removes plaque and bacteria that you cannot reach with your toothbrush alone. A toothbrush will only cover approx. two-thirds of you the surface area of your tooth. Thus, if you don't floss, you are missing more than one-third of your tooth surface and the beginnings of plaque buildup can start. Plaque is the main cause of gum disease. Within 24 to 36 hours, plaque hardens into tartar, which can only be removed by professional cleaning. If you floss at least once a day, plaque will have less chance to harden into tartar or cause tooth decay.
