Use dental floss correctly

Brushing your teeth alone is not enough, flossing should complement the daily oral care. This is how it is applied correctly.

Why flossing is important

Thorough brushing alone will not clean your teeth. The toothbrush alone reaches only 70 percent of the tooth surface. The interdental spaces are left out. It can also form plaque in the interstices, it threaten inflammation and tooth decay. Therefore, it is important to clean the interdental spaces with dental floss or interdental space brushes.

Which floss is the right one?

There is a wide range of dental floss available. Since it is difficult to keep track. Which floss you choose depends on how close your teeth are to each other. Keep in touch with your dentist, he knows best which dental floss is suitable for your needs.

1 Unwaxed dental floss

Unwaxed dental floss (for example, via amazon.de) has the advantage that it frayes during use and thus cleans the interdental spaces particularly thoroughly. For teeth that are very close together, however, unwaxed dental floss is not optimal.

2 waxed floss

If the teeth are very close together, the use of waxed dental floss (for example, amazon.de) is recommended. This glides better in the interstices.

3 interdental room brushes

As an adjunct to the use of dental floss interdental space brushes (for example, amazon.de) can be used. These are especially recommended when there are larger gaps between teeth.

How is floss used correctly?

To clean the interdental spaces, the piece of dental floss should be between 30 to 50 centimeters long. Wrap the floss firmly around the index or middle finger of both hands to hold it firmly with your thumb and forefinger and to be able to tighten it tightly.
Now the floss can be inserted into the interdental space. She should be close to the tooth. Slowly move the floss up and down and finally pull it out sideways.
Repeat this procedure until all intermediate spaces have been cleaned. It is important to use a new stalk of the dental floss at each interval. It is best if you brush your teeth before cleaning the floss and afterwards. To prevent plaque from leaving the gaps on the free surface.

Talk to your dentist if you are unsure. He will show you how to use floss properly.