Tips for When You Need to Floss Behind Your Back Teeth
Posted on 9/21/2021 by Thomas Mahar
Brushing and flossing are our top recommendations to keep your mouth clean and healthy. One of the dirtiest places in your mouth is in between your teeth, especially the back teeth, which generally gets less attention because they are hard to get to with a toothbrush. Bacteria gather there easily. It is important to floss every day. We want to provide you with some tips to make sure you access behind your back teeth.
How to Floss Behind Your Back Teeth
To floss, grab around 18 to 24 inches of dental floss. Wrap the ends around your index and middle fingers. Alternatively, you can also use a dental flosser. Regardless of what your floss looks like, insert the floss between your teeth and gently guide the floss up and down against your teeth. Scrape the surface of both teeth. By doing so you will remove the food debris and bacteria between your teeth. Be gentle with your gums, and do not glide the floss into your gums.
When you get to the back teeth, don't stop. Even though there isn't a tooth next to your back molar, continue flossing so that you can remove the plaque from the back surface of your back tooth. We tell our patients to not open too wide, but just wide enough to get your fingers back there to floss. Using a flosser may also help if it is too cumbersome to try to get your fingers back there to floss.
Make an Appointment and we Will Help You Learn to Floss
Have we seen you in the office lately? It is important to get a dental exam every six months. We can show you how to brush as well as how to floss those back teeth at your next exam. Give us a call today to make your next appointment.
Brushing and flossing are our top recommendations to keep your mouth clean and healthy. One of the dirtiest places in your mouth is in between your teeth, especially the back teeth, which generally gets less attention because they are hard to get to with a toothbrush. Bacteria gather there easily. It is important to floss every day. We want to provide you with some tips to make sure you access behind your back teeth.