Bacteria tend to lurk in places where the toothbrush and toothpaste cannot reach. These places are in between your teeth. Therefore, it is extremely important that you floss your teeth daily.

The Frankel Dentistry staff recommends keeping your floss in the shower, that way you will see it daily and remember to take the extra three minutes to clean between your teeth. Regardless of where you store your floss, however, there are a few techniques to remember when flossing your teeth. First, use approximately 18″ of floss. Wrap the floss snuggly around your index fingers, leaving about a 2″ opening to work with. Then, using a gentle side-to-side motion, guide the floss between the teeth. Make sure you pull the floss tightly in a C-shape motion to wrap around all surfaces of your tooth. Additionally, slide the floss under and around the gum line several times to remove food and bacteria. Finally, unwind the floss to a fresh section as you make your way throughout your mouth.