(HealthDay News) -- Flossing every night before brushing your teeth helps protect the gums and remove debris.
The American Dental Association offers these guidelines on how to floss:
- Using a piece of dental floss about 18 inches long, wrap each end around a finger on each hand and hold the floss between the thumbs and index fingers.
- Gently rub the floss between teeth with a back-and-forth motion.
- Curving the floss into a C-shape once it touches the gumline, gently slide it between the teeth.
- With the floss held firmly against the side of the tooth, carefully slide it up and down away from the gum.
- Do this for every tooth, taking care to floss the back side of each tooth.
