Did you know that nearly half the surface area of your teeth lies between them? If you’re solely relying on brushing alone then you’re not cleaning a large portion of your teeth, which can create serious problems for your teeth and gums.

Removing plaque from between your teeth, you’re helping to prevent gum disease, tooth decay and halitosis, otherwise known as ‘bad breath’.

Flossing is all about the technique and there are some basic tips you can follow:

Tip 1:   Wind about 45 centimetres of floss around your middle fingers and rest it across your thumbs and index fingers.

Tip 2:   Always insert the floss gently using a gentle side-to-side motion to avoid traumatising the gums.

Tip 3:   To clean the ‘neck’ of the tooth which is the point at which it meets the gums, curl the floss and insert it gently under the gum.

Flossing should be an integral part of your dental health routine along with brushing. You should be flossing once a day for at least two minutes. It’s not just adults who need to floss. Children should start flossing as soon as they have two teeth in contact. We recommend that a parent does the flossing for younger children because they don’t have the manual dexterity needed to floss effectively.