Five Common Flossing Mistakes You Must Avoid

Your dentist in Long Beach, CA keeps telling you that you should be flossing every day…right? But did you know that not flossing correctly could actually harm your teeth and gums? So let’s talk about that.

Five Common Flossing Mistakes You Must Avoid

Flossing helps prevent gum disease; therefore, flossing properly will help keep your teeth and gums healthy. Here are some flossing mistakes you must avoid.

1. Flossing Too Often

It’s recommended that you only floss once each day. If you floss more than that, you risk damaging your gums, which could lead to tooth sensitivity. So go ahead and brush and floss your teeth right before you go to bed at night, and you will be rewarded with better oral health.

2. Flossing Too Quickly

If you are flossing too quickly from tooth to tooth, you are probably not fully cleaning the food and other debris from your teeth. So take the time to floss your teeth properly and schedule regular dental cleanings in Long Beach, CA. Your mouth will thank you.

3. Not Flossing Each Side of Every Tooth

When flossing, you should take the time to floss between your teeth and each side of every tooth as well. If you don’t, you probably aren’t reaching all the plaque and tartar between your teeth.

4. Flossing Too Forcefully

It’s great that you’re flossing regularly; however, make sure you are not flossing too forcefully. Flossing too forcefully could damage your gums and that could lead to other dental issues. So when flossing, floss as gently as possible to avoid damaging your gums.

5. Stopping Flossing at the First Sign of Blood

If you are not flossing regularly, then you suddenly decide to floss, your gums might bleed a bit. When this happens, some people have a tendency to stop flossing. However, bleeding gums are a sign of oral disease. So you need to keep flossing (gently) and make an appointment with your dentist to check and correct any dental issues before they get worse.

What’s Next?

If you need a dentist in Long Beach, CA or any of the surrounding areas, please Contact Andy Tang DDS today. Our dental team is friendly and compassionate, and our office is comfortable and inviting. We’d love to show you just how great visiting the dentist can be.