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How To Properly Floss

Learning how to floss properly is a key step in preventing tooth decay. Teaching children to floss early ensures a lifetime of good oral health.

Below is a step-by-step guide to help children floss correctly. Keep reading to learn how to make sure your children have healthy smiles.

How to properly floss

Why Properly Flossing is Important

Flossing removes plaque, which contains bacterial buildup. This buildup can lead to cavities, bad breath, and gum disease, which can cause other sicknesses like heart disease and diabetes. Cavities are one of the most common untreated health conditions in children today.

Five Tips for Better Flossing

These flossing tips will help your child floss better and prevent plaque:

  1. Start with about 18 inches of floss. Wrap the ends around each middle finger, leaving a two-inch section in the middle to work with. 
  2. Hold floss between thumb and index finger, and slide up and down between teeth.
  3. Gently curve the floss around the base of each tooth, going just below the gum line. Do not force it—you don’t want to hurt your gums.
  4. Use clean sections of floss as you move between teeth.
  5. Remove floss from between teeth by wiggling back and forth.

A Healthy Smiles Takes More Than Flossing

Teaching your child how to properly floss is a step toward good dental health, but brushing and flossing at home aren’t enough. Children should see a dentist twice a year to achieve truly healthy smiles.

Kool Smiles is a kid-friendly dental practice that is great for first visits, checkups, cleanings, and other dental procedures. Our offices are designed with kids in mind and feature colorful waiting areas with indoor play areas. Kool Smiles makes visiting the dentist a pleasant experience for young patients and their parents. 

Best of all, Kool Smiles is affordable and accessible. We accept most major dental insurance providers, including Medicare and TRICARE.

Set up an appointment at one of our offices by calling us today.

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Sources:

CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/children_adults/child.htm

WebMD: http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/features/your-smile-flossing

Colgate: http://www.colgate.com/en/us/oc/oral-health/basics/brushing-and-flossing/article/how-to-floss