You’ve done a thorough job cleaning and polishing your teeth, but what about the parts of your mouth that you can’t clean with a toothbrush? We strongly recommend daily flossing to clean between the teeth. If you don’t clean your entire mouth, you run the risk of plaque forming, and this can cause decay and gum disease.

The importance of flossing

Flossing is often overlooked because people tend to focus all their energy and time on brushing the teeth. Flossing is actually really important because it enables you to clean between your teeth. You can’t clean the tiny gaps between the teeth with a toothbrush, and if you don’t floss or use inter-dental brushes, this could put you at risk of cavities and swollen gums.

Flossing is a simple technique, which enables you to achieve a deeper clean. Using thin tape called dental floss, you can gently dislodge trapped food and bacteria from the cracks between the teeth. To begin with, you may find that flossing feels a little odd, but you’ll soon get used to it.

When you floss, take a series of short pieces of tape, and gently guide the floss through the gaps between your teeth. Use a new piece of floss for every few teeth you clean. Don’t tug at the floss, as this can cause painful gums.

Is it normal for your gums to bleed when you floss?

You may find that our gums bleed if you’re flossing for the first time or it’s been a while since you last flossed. This is usually nothing to worry about. If bleeding persists or your gums start to bleed even though you floss frequently, see your dentist. Bleeding gums can be symptomatic of gum disease, so it’s best to get them checked out. If you do have early gum disease, the sooner it’s treated, the better.