Do you floss as often as you need to maintain good oral health? Find out now!

Be honest with yourself and your Norcross dentist Dr. Orson Baek: How often do you actually floss your teeth? If the answer isn’t every day, then you need to reevaluate your oral hygiene. While flossing might not seem as essential to your routine as brushing, think again. Flossing is the best way to clean in those hard-to-reach spots between teeth where your toothbrush can’t always reach. So how can you incorporate it more into your schedule?

The Importance of Flossing

While flossing might not feel as natural as brushing it's certainly just as important for the health of your teeth and gums. While your Norcross dentist can tell you to floss every day, we always have to preface this by saying that it’s less about just performing the action every day and more about actually doing a thorough job cleaning between your teeth and along the gumline. In actuality, if you have poor flossing technique, you could floss multiple times a day and we would never be able to tell!

When should I floss?

This seems to be a popular and heavily debated question. Of course, the answer is: it depends on what works best for you! After all, we want you to spend enough time flossing every day, so follow the routine that works for you and your schedule.

This also includes deciding if you should floss before or after you brush your teeth. There is the belief that if you floss before you brush you can dislodge food and plaque stuck in between teeth that your brush can then remove more effectively. This is still up for debate. Again, as long as you're flossing, that’s all that really matters for the health of your smile!

How long should I floss?

This will depend on how often you’ve been flossing and how familiar you are with this habit. Those who’ve been flossing for a while may find it only takes a minute or two, while someone new to flossing may want to take their time and pay attention to the technique involved. There is no proper amount of time needed to floss, just however long it will take to thoroughly clean between all of your teeth.

If you are an avid flosser, your Norcross dentist commends you on your optimum oral health! Just remember, your oral care isn’t complete unless you are also following up with us every six months for professional cleanings and exams. If it’s time for your biannual visit, call Smart Family Dental Care. In the meantime pick up that floss and start protecting the health of your smile today.