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Flossing

Introduction to Flossing

According to the British Dental Health Foundation, you should use dental floss at least once a day to remove debris and plaque between teeth.

Clinical studies show that when used properly, dental floss can improve oral health. But overly vigorous or incorrect flossing can also result in gum tissue damage.

Did you know?

A dentist from New Orleans, Lousiana, USA named Levi Spear Parmly invented modern dental floss in 1815.

Top 10 Excuses for Not Flossing

(From the American Academy of Periodontology):

  1. My hands are too big and I have no dexterity.
  2. The floss pushes the food down further into the pocket.
  3. My gums bleed.
  4. I get my teeth professionally cleaned twice a year, so I don't have to brush and floss.
  5. It takes too long.
  6. It gets in the way of my sex life.
  7. Losing teeth is part of aging.
  8. My teeth are too tight for the floss to get through.
  9. I'm afraid of damaging my gums when I floss.
  10. I went hiking and forgot to bring dental floss.

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How to Floss


For proper flossing, the British Dental Health Foundation advises the following:

  1. Break off about 18 inches of floss, and wind most of it around one of your middle fingers. Wind the remaining floss around the same finger of the other hand. As you use the floss, you will take up the used section with this finger.
  2. Hold the floss tightly between your thumb and forefingers, with about an inch of floss between them, leaving no slack. Use a gentle 'rocking' motion to guide the floss between your teeth. Do not jerk the floss or snap the floss into the gums.
  3. When the floss reaches the gumline, curve it into a C-shape against one tooth until you feel resistance.
  4. Hold the floss against the tooth. Gently scrape the side of the tooth, moving the floss away from the gum. Repeat on the other side of the gap, along the side of the next tooth.
  5. Don't forget the back of your last tooth.

Most Don't Understand Risks of Gum Disease

Two-thirds of National Dental Survey respondents remain unaware of possible gum disease links to heart disease, four in five know nothing of the links to strokes or diabetes, and 94% of respondents have no knowledge of potential risks posed to pregnant women.

"The public is put at risk by poor dental hygiene habits yet awareness of these risks is very low", said British Dental Health Foundation chief executive Dr Nigel Carter

Hate to Floss?

Don’t Like to Floss?


Try a Waterpik® Water Flosser

If you don’t like to floss, Water Pik, Inc. has a solution. Floss with water instead of string! Using a Waterpik® Water Flosser oral irrigator is:

Easier to Use

Use it only once per day for about 1 minute. It’s a pleasant experience, giving you the cleanest, freshest sensation possible.

More effective

Independent clinical research studies demonstrate that the Waterpik® Water Flosserr oral irrigator is up to 93% more effective than dental floss for improving gum health. It removes stubborn plaque and debris from deep between teeth and below the gumline. It also massages and stimulates the gums for better circulation.

To learn more, see our clinically proven results or ask your dentist or dental hygienist if a Waterpik® Water Flosser is right for you.

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