Crosby Family Dental offers dental services for the whole family in Highlands, Dayton, and Huffman. We are one of the few dentists in the area that accept Medicaid. We do this in part because we feel that preventative dental care can save our patients pain and money. But we can’t do it alone! We need your help. Preventative care starts at home, and happens daily. One of the best things you can do to help avoid dental issues such as periodontal disease is to floss daily. This week’s blog will cover flossing. Many people think they are flossing correctly but they are, in fact, making mistakes. We will start at the beginning.

Flossing Basics

1. The first thing you need to do is make sure you have enough floss. About 18 inches is a good length. Wrap the floss around a couple of fingers so that you have just a few inches between the fingers of your hands. Pull it tight.
2. Slide the floss between two teeth. Pull the floss so that it curves around the base of the tooth, below the gumline.
3. Apply pressure toward the tooth and move the floss upward.
4. Do not see the floss back and forth, the motion should be more like a tiny squeegee on the tooth. When you are done with that tooth, keep
5. the floss between those same two teeth but curve the floss around the other tooth, in the opposite direction and repeat the squeegee motion, again below the gum line.

If you do this to all your teeth, every day you will be helping yourself avoid costly and painful dental issues. You will still need a bi-annual dental cleaning to get all the tartar and plaque that build up, so call today for an appointment.

Book an Appointment to find out which treatment might be best for you.