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Are You Flossing Correctly?

A lot of times we are presented with the question, “Do I really need to floss, or is brushing enough?” Dr. Jim Williams in Douglasville wants you to know that flossing isn’t just a suggestion; it’s an essential part of a healthy oral-wellness routine.

Proper flossing can help reduce the risk of gum disease and cavities, and is an important step toward having an overall healthy mouth. In fact, The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends flossing at least once a day in order to achieve optimal oral health.

Daily flossing removes plaque and bacteria from between the teeth — where a toothbrush can’t reach. If you’re just starting to adopt a good flossing habit, you may experience minor discomfort. It’s important that you don’t stop. If the discomfort doesn’t go away after a week or two of daily flossing, be sure to visit our Douglasville dental office as soon as possible.

Flossing Tips for Healthy Gums

• Floss before brushing your teeth

• Glide the floss in between each tooth using a sawing motion

• Angle the floss in a “c” shape around the tooth and slightly below the gumline

• Repeat on the opposite tooth

• Unravel the floss from your fingers, supplying fresh floss for each set of teeth

• Finish up with a proper brushing

Even if you do floss habitually and correctly, it’s still very important to maintain regular visits with your dentist in Douglasville. If you’re in need of a professional cleaning or check up, or if you just want to show off your healthy gums, call us to schedule an appointment today.

Tips for Proper Brushing

Brushing your teeth is something we all learn to do at an early age, and is even considered fun in the beginning. However, over the years, we become so used to brushing our teeth that we have a tendency to not really pay attention to how well we’re doing it. This could lead to a less than optimal clean and put you at risk for dental problems. At the Douglasville dental office of Dr. Jim Williams,we want everyone to know that it’s not only important to brush your teeth, but to also make sure that you’re doing it properly.

Although we’re always happy to hear that our patients are brushing their teeth twice a day, we also want them to know that an incorrect technique can leave teeth exposed to harmful plaque and tartar. Proper brushing helps you successfully remove these oral health dangers along with other harmful bacteria, and helps protect against cavities, gum disease and bad breath.

We recommend brushing at least twice day, in the morning and before bed, and also following our proper brushing techniques, which include:

• Aiming your bristles at a 45-degree angle to reach under the gum line

• Using soft, circular strokes instead of horizontal ones to avoid abrasions

• Cleaning your entire mouth including front, back and chewing surface of each tooth and your tongue

• Making sure that each brushing session lasts for at least two minutes

No matter how perfect your technique may be, it’s still very important that you visit your Douglasville dentist for routine checkups and professional cleanings. If you’re due for a checkup or cleaning, give Dr. Jim Williams a call to schedule your appointment today.