Flossing is an essential part of oral hygiene that helps remove food particles and plaque from between your teeth and under the gumline—areas your toothbrush can’t reach. To floss correctly, start by cutting about 18 inches of dental floss. Wind most of the floss around the middle finger of one hand and the rest around the same finger of the other hand. Hold the floss tightly between your thumbs and forefingers, leaving about 1–2 inches of floss to work with.

Gently guide the floss between your teeth using a back-and-forth motion. Curve the floss into a “C” shape around the side of each tooth and slide it up and down to clean below the gumline. Use a clean section of floss as you move from tooth to tooth. Be gentle to avoid injuring your gums. With regular flossing once a day, you can help prevent cavities, gum disease, and bad breath, keeping your smile healthy and clean.