The Chairside Instructor 10 1. Break off about 18 inches of floss and wind most of it around one of your middle fingers. Wind the remaining floss around a finger on the other hand. This finger will take up the used floss. Hold the floss tightly between your thumb and forefingers. 3. When the floss reaches the gum line, curve it into a “C” shape against one tooth. Gently slide it into the space between the gum and the tooth. 2. Guide the floss between your teeth, using a gentle back-and-forth motion. To avoid injuring your gums, never snap the floss into gum tissue. 4. Hold the floss tightly against the tooth. Gently rub the side of the tooth, moving the floss away from the gum with up and down motions. 5. Repeat this method on the rest of your teeth. As you move from tooth to tooth, unwind the clean floss with one finger and take up the used floss with a finger on the other hand. Don’t forget the back side of the last tooth. If you have trouble handling floss, you may find it helpful to use a floss holder or other between-the-teeth cleaners, like special picks or narrow brushes. How To Floss Prevention and Diagnosis