How To Use Dental Floss With Pictures

How To Use Dental Floss With Pictures

Do you wish there was a more efficient method of flossing your teeth? Flossing your teeth twice a day is one of the best things you can do for your oral health. You can use string or plastic threaders to floss your teeth and reach those awkward spots. But, there is an alternative to the waxed string if you are having problems inserting it into your mouth.

Because the plastic threaders aren’t always suitable for people with smaller mouths and gums, we’ve included visual instructions for using dental floss.

Dental floss is a tool used for cleaning teeth to remove food particles and plaque. Dental floss does not remove tooth decay or remove total plaque buildup. Flossing helps to prevent gum disease, which can cause tooth loss, abscesses, bad breath, and other serious dental problems. The purpose of this post is to give you step-by-step instructions on how to use dental floss the right way. This will be handy if you are completely new at it and would like a visual guide before doing it yourself. Read on to learn more why flossing is bad/does flossing create gaps in teeth.

How To Use Dental Floss With Pictures

Flossing is an important oral hygiene habit. It cleans and dislodges food stuck between your teeth, which reduces the amount of bacteria and plaque in your mouth. Plaque is a sticky film that builds up on teeth and contributes to cavities and gum disease.

Although many people brush their teeth daily, not everyone flosses their teeth as regularly as they brush. According to a national poll, about 4 in 10 Americans floss their teeth at least once a day, and 20 percent of Americans never floss at all.

Of course, it isn’t enough to simply floss. It’s important to floss correctly. Improper flossing can potentially damage your teeth and gums. So, if you’re unsure about the right way to clean in between your teeth, here’s a step-by-step guide on the best way to floss.

Flossing: What are the steps to follow?

Follow this step-by-step guide to floss your teeth correctly.

Flossing instructions

1. Break off about 18 to 24 inches of dental floss. To hold the floss correctly, wind most of the floss around both of your middle fingers. Leave only about 1 to 2 inches of floss for your teeth.
2. Next, hold the floss taut with your thumbs and index fingers.
3. Place the dental floss in between two teeth. Gently glide the floss up and down, rubbing it against both sides of each tooth. Don’t glide the floss into your gums. This can scratch or bruise your gums.
4. As the floss reaches your gums, curve the floss at the base of the tooth to form a C shape. This allows the floss to enter the space between your gums and your tooth.
5. Repeat the steps as you move from tooth to tooth. With each tooth, use a new, clean section of floss.

What’s the best way to floss with braces?

Flossing with braces can be tricky, and it takes more time than flossing without braces. If you use regular floss, give yourself 10 to 15 minutes to floss your teeth.

With this method, choose waxed floss, which is less likely to tear and get stuck in your braces.

Flossing instructions for braces

1. Break off about 18 to 24 inches of waxed dental floss.
2. Stand in front of a mirror so you can make sure the floss is going where you need it to.
3. Start by threading the floss between your teeth and the main wire. Twist the loose ends of the floss around your index fingers so you can move the floss around easily.
4. Press the floss between the two teeth as gently as you can. Then, move the floss up and down along the sides of both teeth.
5. When working on your top teeth, try to make an upside-down U with the floss. To do this, go up the side of one tooth until you get to the gumline. Then, glide the floss down the side of the other tooth.
6. Gently remove the floss and carefully unthread it from behind the wire. Avoid popping the floss out of your tooth, as you could dislodge a wire.
7. Now, move on to the next two teeth, and use the same technique until you’ve flossed between all your teeth.

Instead of using waxed floss, other options that work well for flossing if you have braces include using a Waterpik, a type of water flosser, or a floss threader, a small tool that helps you thread floss under your braces. Both can save you time with flossing.

When should you floss?

Knowing the right time to floss also contributes to good oral health. Some people have a routine of brushing their teeth first and then flossing. However, it’s generally recommended to floss and then brush your teeth.

Flossing helps lift and release food and plaque stuck in between your teeth, while brushing removes these particles from your mouth. If you brush first and floss afterward, food and plaque remains in your mouth until the next time you brush.

The American Dental Association recommends flossing at least once per day and brushing twice per day.

Types of dental floss

Dental floss comes in many varieties. Which type of floss is best for you depends on your preferences, the amount of space in between your teeth, and whether you have braces or bridges.

Some dental floss is easier to use in wider spaces, whereas other types of floss are easier to use in tighter spaces.

Different types of dental floss include:

• Dental tape. This type of dental floss is broader and flat like a ribbon, making it easier to handle if you have braces, gaps, or large spaces in between your teeth.
• Standard floss. This is a thin, nylon strand that can fit in between teeth. It comes flavored or unflavored as well as waxed or unwaxed. If your teeth are crowded or closer together, dental floss with a wax coating can make it easier to get in between them.
• Super flosses. This dental floss threader can work with braces, bridges, and gaps. It has three components: a stiffened end for flossing underneath appliances, spongy floss to clean around your appliances, and regular floss to eliminate plaque underneath your gumline.

Other tools to make flossing easier

In addition to dental tape, waxed floss, and floss threaders, other tools can make flossing easier and faster.

• One option is to use an electric flosser or a water flosser, which uses water and pressure to remove plaque and food from in between teeth. Both are great options if you have trouble using regular floss. A water flosser is also useful if you have braces. This device can clean in between brackets and wires.
• Another option is to use disposable floss picks. They’re easy to maneuver and can help you floss hard-to-reach teeth in the back of your mouth.

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Takeaway

Good oral hygiene involves more than just brushing your teeth. It also involves flossing and knowing how to floss correctly.

Flossing helps remove bacteria, plaque, and food from between your teeth, and it reduces the likelihood of tooth decay and gum disease. Along with regular brushing and flossing, make sure you also schedule regular dental cleanings at least twice a year.

Does Flossing Create Gaps In Teeth

Gaps between your teeth are indicators of gingivitis or problems with your gums. There are various reasons why you may develop gaps between your teeth. One of the reasons is improper flossing. However, so long as you floss correctly, flossing will likely not cause gaps, states Redding Family Dental.

How to Floss With Braces

by Dr. Tyler Coles – Premier Orthodontics

Ask anyone what the hardest part about braces is, and they’ll usually give you the same answer: flossing.

One study shows that only 30% of Americans floss their teeth when they don’t have braces…

…so you can bet that it’s even less when someone has another obstacle, like braces on their teeth to get around.

Why is Flossing With Braces So Important?

According to the American Dental Association, “Cleaning between teeth removes plaque that can lead to cavities or gum disease from the areas where a toothbrush can’t reach.”

In other words, flossing removes plaque and helps prevent cavities and gum disease.

If someone has braces, the risk for plaque buildup, cavities, and gum disease increases dramatically. If you invested in braces to make your teeth straight then shouldn’t you want them to remain clean and healthy in the process?   

That’s why we want to show you the easiest, most effective ways to floss your teeth with braces. 

How to Floss With Braces Using a Floss Threader

Before you pick up some regular floss, you need to know that it doesn’t work quite the same way if you have braces… 

An extra tool is required in order to get the floss beneath the archwire. This tool is called a floss threader.

The best way to picture a floss threader is to first imagine a needle and thread.  The floss threader will act as the needle, and your floss will be the thread. 

First, pass a piece of floss through the floss threader…

…and then using the floss threader, “thread” the floss beneath the wire. 

Once you have the floss beneath the wire, you can floss as you normally would.

After you have flossed one tooth you will need to repeat this process for each tooth.  

The Pros of Using a Floss Threader to Floss With Braces:

1. Very Inexpensive – Your orthodontist will likely give you a pack for free (or you can pick some up for a few dollars on Amazon or at a drug store)
2. Reusable – One pack will likely last you months or years
3. A Process You’re Already Used To – No special tools are needed, just the threader and floss.

The Cons of using a Floss Threader to Floss With Braces

1. Tricky To Use At First – This is especially true for younger kids. Using the floss threader requires some hand skills that may prove difficult for young children.
2. Takes Longer Than Normal Flossing – . Because you have to repeat the process of flossing beneath the wire for every tooth in your mouth, this can be a time consuming process.

Check out our video about brushing and flossing with braces! It demonstrates exactly how floss threaders are used.



Overall, using a floss threader to floss with braces works well and many patients choose this option for its cost-effectiveness. But if you’d like to find a faster or easier option, keep reading below…

How to Floss With Braces Using Superfloss

Superfloss is essentially a piece of floss with one stiff end.

Superfloss works similarly to a floss threader, only you don’t need to do the “needle and thread” process. You simply take the stiff end of floss, guide it beneath your archwire, and floss your teeth.  

The Pros of Using a Superfloss to Floss With Braces:

1. Easier Than a Floss Threader – Most kids and adults figure this method out pretty easily.
2. Easy To Find – It can be purchased on Amazon or at your local drug store

The Cons of using a Superfloss to Floss With Braces

1. Also Time Consuming – Because you have to repeat the process of guiding the floss beneath the wire, it does take a little bit of time. 
2. Not Reusable –  Super floss is a one-time use product, so each day you will use a new piece and throw it away. This product isn’t too expensive, but while you are in braces you will likely need several boxes to get you by. 

Superfloss is a great tool that cleans well. Grab a pack next time you’re at the drug store and try it out for yourself!

Platypus Orthodontic Flossers are one of the quickest, and EASIEST ways to floss with braces. 

Why Flossing Is Bad

If done improperly, flossing can cause damage to gums, teeth, and dental work, according to the AP investigation. Sometimes, flossing can also cause harmful bacteria to be released into your bloodstream which could lead to an infection.

There is no threading required with the platypus orthodontic flossers. The narrow side of the flosser is designed to fit behind the arch wire, allowing you to floss your entire mouth in no more than two minutes (usually less)!

The easiest way to understand how the Platypus Orthodontic Flosser works is to see it in action.  Click below to watch a video about how to floss with braces using the Platypus Orthodontic Flosser.

The Pros of Using a Platypus Orthodontic Flosser to Floss With Braces:

1. Fastest Method – You can floss your entire mouth in two minutes or less.
2. No Threading Required –  This makes it easier for young kids who may struggle with the floss threaders on their own.

The Cons of Using a Platypus Orthodontic Flosser to Floss With Braces

1. Cost More Than Floss Threaders –  The Platypus Orthodontic flossers are a one-time use product, so each day you will use a new flosser and throw it away. This product is still reasonably priced, however,  and you can buy them in larger packages to save money. 
2. Difficult To Find In-Store – This is most likely a solution you will need to order online.   You can find them on Amazon with free shipping and in multiple package sizes. 

How to Floss With Braces Using a Harp Orthodontic Flosser

The Harp Orthodontic Flosser is very similar to the platypus flosser – it too allows you to floss without threading. You simply guide the small end of the flosser beneath the archwire to floss your entire mouth; no threading required!  

The Pros of Using a Harp Orthodontic Flosser to Floss With Braces:

1. Quick And Easy –  You can floss your entire mouth in two minutes or less.
2. No Threading Required – This makes it easier for young kids who may struggle with the floss threaders on their own.
3. Reusable For Up To A Week – , This means less total flossers you will have to buy throughout the time you have braces.

The Cons of Using a Harp Orthodontic Flosser to Floss With Braces

1. Cost More Than Floss Threaders – Harp Flossers cost more than floss threaders, but they are still very reasonable.  To get a month’s supply of Harp flossers it comes out to about $5!
2. Difficult To Find – They can’t be found at local drug stores or on Amazon, but you can order them direct on the Harp company website. 

How to Floss With Braces Using a Waterpik or Water Flosser

A Waterpik is a popular brand of water flosser.  A water flosser is a device that delivers a stream of pressurized pulsating water between your teeth, along the gum line, and around your braces.  If you find that string floss, no matter the type,  is too difficult to do on a daily basis, then a water flosser might be a good choice for you!

In addition to cleaning between your teeth like floss, a water flosser can also help remove food debris along the gum and around the braces. Watch the video below to see how a water flosser can help you floss with braces and keep your braces clean.



The Pros of Using a Waterpik or Water Flosser to Floss With Braces:

1. No String Required –  If you or your child struggles with string floss, a water flosser is likely the best answer. It’s quick, easy and lets you floss your entire mouth in two minutes or less.
2. Helps Around The Braces And Gum Line  – String floss just can’t get to these areas.
3. Easy To Find – You can pick Waterpiks or water flossers up at your local drug store or online.
4. One-Time Investment – One unit will last the entire time you’re in braces—plus a long time after that! This is also the most eco-friendly choice, as it allow you to entirely eliminate trash waste from your flossing routine.
5.  

The Cons of Using a Waterpik or Water Flosser to Floss With Braces

1. Most Expensive – Portable units start around $30, and counter top units may cost up to $70. But remember, you never have to replace it while you’re wearing braces.
2. Not Portable –  A water flosser does require you to be near a sink in order to use it.

No matter which type of floss you choose . . . there’s no doubt that flossing with braces is crucial to maintaining healthy teeth, healthy gums, and avoiding bad breath with braces. 

With the tools listed above, you’ll find it easier and less time consuming than ever to floss with braces.

Flossing with braces hurts

It’s important to keep your braces and teeth properly clean. Otherwise, you may end up with gum disease and decalcification of your teeth! Cleaning teeth in braces isn’t hard; it just takes time and patience. When you first get your braces on, brushing and flossing will probably take 10 to 20 minutes. As you get used to your braces and time passes, you’ll get faster at it.

The first few days after you get your braces, your teeth and gums may be very sensitive. It may be extremely difficult to brush and floss properly because of this sensitivity. Just do your best. You may need to take a break from flossing for a few days until the initial pain and sensitivity subside.

How often should you brush your teeth? Ideally, after every meal and snack. Of course, that may not be realistic. Just brush as often as you can. In between, swish water in your mouth or just rinse and spit a few times. Make sure that you floss at least once a day.