Use Five Fingers For Quick And Healthy Flossing - General and Cosmetic Dentistry

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Today’s message is for smart kids who want to make flossing a habit. Here are 5 flossing steps made so easy you can tick them off one finger at a time. They’re the best way to ensure your dental hygiene and health, and they come courtesy of Vitangeli Dental in Englewood OH.

Thumbkin: Thumb to Chest Reminder
Thumb to chest can remind me that this isn’t for my friends. Brushing the gunk off so I don’t gross them out. Rinsing with a fluoride rinse for fresh breath as I speak. That is for friends. Flossing is for me, myself and I. For ideal dental hygiene, you need both healthy teeth and healthy gums, therefore I floss.

Pointer: Pointer Fingers Measure
How much floss will I need to floss my 32 teeth? The American Dental Association recommends that you start with about 18 inches. Roughly 6 lengths of your pointer finger should be adequate.

Tall Man: Wrap the Middle Fingers
This is a team effort. With the middle fingers wound up in the floss, the thumb and forefinger can grip and guide the floss into place. After sliding the floss around the tooth into a “C” shape, and the up and down motions have wiped away plaque, then “unspool” for a new section for the next tooth in line.

Ring Man: The Smell Test
Many a long term relationship has been cut short due to not-so-fresh breath. Smell floss before going between teeth. Smell it after. Bad smell? Brushing is not cleaning away that bacteria thoroughly enough. Hurray for floss! This smell test says the brushing needs to be tweaked. Be gentle with your gums. Keep those areas at the base of your teeth bacteria free.

Pinky: Time to Promise
Make the pledge now. Every time you look at your pinky, remember that you pinky promised to keep those gums free from disease. Flossing isn’t so much about removing food as it is about removing dental plaque. Plaque causes tooth decay and inflamed gums. Periodontal disease can eventually bring about tooth loss. Tooth neglect is a slippery slope.

At Vitangeli Dental in Englewood OH, we want our patients of all ages to brush and floss for dental hygiene and health. And we want them to come in every six months for a thorough cleaning and checkup. We provide general and cosmetic dentistry. Make an appointment today.