How to floss properly

How to floss in 5 steps

1. Take enough floss

   Pull about 45 cm (18 inches), roughly forearm length. Wind most of it around the middle finger of one hand and a little around the other, leaving about 2 to 3 cm (1 inch) to work with.

2. Hold it firmly with your thumbs and index fingers

   Keep the short section tight, like a small guitar string. This gives you control so the floss does not slip.

3. Slide it in gently

   Use a soft back-and-forth motion to ease the floss between two teeth. Do not snap it down onto the gum.

4. Hug the tooth in a C-shape

   Curve the floss around one tooth so it forms a C. Gently slide it just under the gumline, then move it up and down two or three times along the side of the tooth. Then curve it the other way and clean the neighbouring tooth.

5. Move to a fresh section

   Unwind clean floss as you go so you are not putting plaque back between the next teeth. Remember the back side of your last molars, on both sides.

• How often: once a day is enough. Before or after brushing both work. Pick a time you will stick to, such as before bed.
• How long: about two minutes once you are practised.
• Spit, don't rinse: after brushing and flossing, spit out the excess and avoid rinsing hard, so the fluoride stays on your teeth a little longer.

Common mistakes

• Snapping the floss down. This can cut the gum. Ease it in with a gentle back-and-forth motion.
• Sawing across the gumline. Hug the tooth in a C and go up and down instead.
• Skipping the back teeth. The last molars collect plenty of plaque.
• Reusing the same piece of floss. Use a clean section for each gap.
• Stopping because the gums bleed. Bleeding usually means inflamed gums that need cleaning. It often settles within one to two weeks of daily flossing. If it does not, see a dentist.
• Flossing only when food is stuck. The point is the plaque you cannot see.

If you have braces, implants or a child

Braces and aligners. Use a floss threader or orthodontic floss to get under the wire, or interdental brushes. Aligners come out for cleaning, so floss as normal before putting them back in.

Implants, crowns and bridges. They need cleaning between them just like natural teeth. Special floss or interdental brushes are often best for bridges and implants. Ask us to show you for your own mouth.

Children. Start flossing once two teeth touch, which is often between ages 2 and 3. Children usually need an adult to do it for them until they have the dexterity, often around 8 to 10 years old. Floss picks designed for kids can make it easier. See our kids dentistry page and our guide on why baby teeth matter.

This guide is general information and is not a substitute for advice from your own dentist. Also see: teeth cleaning and scaling · bad breath · cavities.