Katy Family Dentists is here to remind you about some great preventative measures available to everybody. Flossing is one of those health practices not to be taken for granted. The returns are too great. You can avoid gum disease, tooth loss, halitosis and, possibly, heart disease. It’s all about the habit, and sometimes to create a good habit in your life, you need more information and you need a different perspective. 
More information:
A recent survey showed only 14% of 622 dental patients actually flossed daily. 60% of those who did floss were doing it wrong. Here are five rules to follow to get the most out of this valuable habit:
1. Do it once a day (at least) Healthy gums can actually progress into gum disease within 24 hours. Once infection and inflammation have started, it takes days or weeks to reverse it. The best time to floss is before bed. Your body’s main defense against bacteria in the mouth is saliva, but during sleep your salivary glands slow down and take a rest. Flossing before bed gets the bacteria out before your saliva glands take a break.
2. Try not to snap the floss between the teeth. Every move should be gentle. Hard snapping of the floss tends to damage the attaching tissues where the gum meets the teeth. Instead, gently glide the floss between the teeth, and if your teeth are too close together, use the waxed floss or the floss made from smooth plastic. When you’re in the store, look for floss made specifically for tight teeth.
3. Use the C shape instead of simple saw motion. Don’t just thread the floss and pull it in and out, you won’t get the real benefits of a healthy mouth. Get into the crevice between the gum and each tooth – that is where the most harmful bacteria gathers and multiplies. Instead, hold the floss in a C shape and cup each tooth, and each side of each tooth. Then move the floss in and out making sure you are getting below the gumline all the way around the mouth, top teeth and bottom teeth, one at a time..
4. Substitutes won’t cut it. Using objects like paper clips or your fingernails or other sharp objects are a good way to gouge your gums and cause damage. The number one tool is dental floss, either waxed or unwaxed. In the store you can find other tools like: round end toothpicks, plastic toothpicks with floss on the end, or a set of small picks with brushes on the ends.
5. Brushing is not more important than flossing. Studies do show that many more people brush than actually floss. But if it comes down to choosing one or the other, flossing is the more valuable way to spend your dental care time, and that’s because the majority of gum disease begins between the teeth, and flossing is the only way to effectively reach that area.