Floss reaches the surfaces your toothbrush can't — the contact between two teeth, where most cavities and gum problems quietly start. Once a day is the goal.
Quick reference
- Use about 18 inches of floss; wrap most of it around your middle fingers and work with a short, fresh section between each pair of teeth.
- Slide the floss gently between the teeth — never snap it down, which can cut your gums.
- Hug the side of each tooth in a C-shape and move the floss up and down a few times.
- Bleeding when you start flossing usually means gum inflammation, not damage. It typically settles down within 1–2 weeks of daily flossing.
- If regular floss is hard to manage, ask us about floss picks, interdental brushes, or a water flosser — what matters is that you use something every day.
