Remember the way it feels to get corn stuck between your teeth? It isn’t very pleasant. Luckily, we have dental floss for just such a problem. But dental floss can do far more than remove pesky food from between your teeth. It’s an excellent tool for cleaning the areas of your mouth that are more difficult to access. Your Erlanger dentist, Dr. Darlene Henry, elaborates on the vital role flossing plays in the health of your mouth.

What Flossing Does for Your Mouth

Flossing cleanses areas of the mouth, where the toothbrush is ineffective. These areas are between each of your teeth. When most people think about the parts of a tooth that need cleaning, they probably think of the top, front, and back of the tooth. The surfaces between teeth tend to slip through the cracks. However, there is a whole surface hidden there, and that’s where flossing comes in. It cleans where brushing can’t.

Colgate has a great advertising campaign right now that tries to make flossing more memorable. Follow this link to check it out: http://adsoftheworld.com/media/print/colgate_total_dental_floss_photoshop_disasters_2. It’s a great ad because it draws our attention to the disparity between the things we see that are stuck between our teeth and the things we don’t see like disembodied hands or the hidden surfaces of our teeth.

Tips for Flossing Effectively

Flossing is an easy process once you get the hang of it. Dr. Henry recommends flossing once a day. Try the following tips to floss more effectively:

  • Use about 18 inches of floss.
  • Leave 2-4 inches between your hands.
  • Be sure to hold the floss tight between your index fingers and thumbs.
  • As you floss, continue to use clean sections of the floss.
  • Be gentle. Slide the floss between your teeth and up and down along the side of each tooth.
  • When you are finished, rinse your mouth with water or mouth wash.

Visit Your Erlanger Dentist

Have you visited Dr. Henry in the past six months? Regular six-month checkups and cleanings are a good practice for maintaining a healthy mouth. Call our 41018 dentist office at (859) 344-8500. We serve patients from Erlanger, Cincinnati, Crestview Hills, Fort Mitchell, Florence, Union, Independence, and Taylor Mill.