Flossing

Take a piece of floss about 50cm long and, starting from one end, wrap it around your middle fingers. Then, using your first fingers and thumbs, and keeping them about 1cm apart, you can manipulate the floss between all your teeth.

The floss should be slipped up between the teeth, the floss being kept tight and bent around the tooth that is being cleaned. It should be moved in an up-and-down action (not a sawing action), taking the floss up under the gum as far as it comfortably will go.

You floss each surface until no more plaque remains, wrapping the floss off one finger and onto the other. Flossing all your teeth every two days is usually recommended, but this varies from person to person. Remember that you are cleaning your teeth, not the space.

If the floss catches or frays this may be from rough or chipped fillings which may need to be smoothed or replaced. Let your dentist know about these problems when you are in the practice so that these areas can be inspected.

Remember that you are cleaning the tooth, not the space.