Cut a piece of dental floss 18 in. (46 cm) to 20 in. (51 cm) long. Wrap one end around your left middle finger and the other end around your right middle finger, until your hands are about 2 in. (5 cm) to 3 in. (8 cm) apart.
Gently work the floss between the teeth toward the gums. Curve the floss around each tooth into a U-shape, and gently slide it under the gum line. Move the floss firmly up and down several times to scrape off the plaque. Popping the floss in and out between the teeth without scraping will not remove much plaque and can hurt your gums.
Use a fresh section of floss as you go from tooth to tooth.
Current as of: March 25, 2020
Author: Healthwise Staff Medical Review: E. Gregory Thompson MD - Internal Medicine Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine Martin J. Gabica MD - Family Medicine Arden Christen DDS, MSD, MA, FACD - Dentistry
Medical Review:E. Gregory Thompson MD - Internal Medicine & Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine & Martin J. Gabica MD - Family Medicine & Arden Christen DDS, MSD, MA, FACD - Dentistry
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