Page 4 of 4
Technique
A 12 to 18 inch piece of floss should be used first. By placing a few inches around the middle fingers on either hand, and then using the thumbs for control, one places the floss in between teeth. Again, you can divide the mouth into sections. The important thing to remember is that you should get sufficient pressure to get in between the teeth. Pressure should be placed on either side of the teeth once the floss is in correct position. One must get under the gumline to loosen the debris, plaque, and bacteria. This area is called the sulcus. A good way to remember how long to stay in this area and clean, is to count the up and down strokes on each tooth. Eight to ten strokes on each surface should be quite sufficient. The amount of time might seem excessive, but the rewards are great for your dental health. One should floss each day.
 |
 |
|
| Using 18 inches of dental floss, wrap it lightly around your middle fingers | Firmly grasp the dental floss with your index fingers |
 |
 |
| Forming a C–shape, carefully slide the floss up and down between your tooth and gum line | |
