The truth about flossing: why skipping it isn’t an option

“Do I really need to floss?” is one of the most common questions we hear. The honest answer is yes — because a toothbrush simply cannot get between two touching teeth, and that is exactly where a lot of decay and gum disease begins.

What is happening between your teeth

The surfaces where two teeth meet trap food and a sticky layer of bacteria called plaque. Left there, plaque hardens into tartar within a day or two, irritates the gum, and slowly eats into the enamel where you cannot see it. By the time a between-the-teeth cavity shows up on an X-ray, it is often already deep.

Floss, or an interdental brush — either is fine

• Dental floss works well for tight contacts. Use about 40 cm, wind it around your middle fingers, and guide it gently with your thumbs and index fingers.
• Interdental brushes (tiny bottle-brush shapes) are easier for many adults, especially where there are gaps, bridges or braces. Your dentist can tell you the right size.
• Water flossers help people who struggle with string floss, though they do not fully replace it.

How to floss without hurting your gums

1. Ease the floss down to the gum line — do not snap it in.
2. Curve it into a C-shape against one tooth and slide it up and down a few times.
3. Repeat against the neighbouring tooth.
4. Move to a fresh section of floss for each gap.
5. Once a day is enough. Night-time, before brushing, works best.

Make it stick

Keep the floss where you will see it — next to the toothbrush, not in a drawer. Attach it to something you already do every night. Two weeks of that and it becomes automatic.