BE THE BOSS OF YOUR FLOSS

Flossing can be a task, we know. We can’t remember to do it but when we do, we don’t have floss on hand or we just don’t feel like it. We know you’ve heard this before but let us remind you again, it’s imperative to your oral health to floss as often as you can. Preferably every day. When you don’t floss, you miss 35% of tooth surface which can lead to cavities, premature tooth loss, yellow teeth, and gum disease. We believe that flossing is worth 1-2 minutes of your time each day to prevent these issues. Here are 5 easy tips to make flossing apart of your daily routine!

How to Make Flossing a Habit

Reward Yourself

We give our children allowance for doing things around the house, it’s a great incentive for them to actually WANT to do chores – so they can save up for that toy they’ve been wanting. Why can’t we create the same reward systems for ourselves when we start a healthy habit? If you have a favorite part of your morning or evening routine that you enjoy doing such as reading, journaling, or watching TV – you can say that you’ll grab the book or the remote only after you’ve flossed. Another great idea is to put a quarter or a dollar (however much you decide) into a jar every time you floss so you can save up for something fun you’ve been wanting to buy or do.

Convenience Is Key

When you attach the habit of flossing to an existing habit, it makes it a lot easier to start flossing every single day. First and foremost, it’s imperative that you have floss available anywhere you want to remember to floss, such as in your car, your lunchbox, or in your drawer at the office so that when you remember that you forgot to floss, you can just do it right then wherever you are! Another idea would be to attach flossing your teeth to brushing your teeth by putting your floss on your toothbrush. You can also attach the habit to showering – something we should do every day anyway. These are quick and easy ways to start flossing daily!

Remind Yourself

Put your alarms or reminders on your phone to good use! Set reminders in your phone at a convenient time every day to floss your teeth or set an alarm if you want a sound to go off. Stick a Post-It note on the mirror that you look in every morning and evening to remind yourself, or even on your wallet if you have floss in your purse.

Learn How to Floss Properly

Many people don’t floss because they feel that it is not working as it should, and that may be because they do not know how to properly floss. Make sure to use 18 inches of string if you are using regular floss, wrap most around your middle finger of one hand and the rest around your other middle finger. Grab the string between your thumb and forefinger, using a rubbing motion to guide it in between your teeth. When the floss reaches your gum line, follow the shape of the teeth by forming a “C” with the floss to properly remove everything from in between the teeth.

Stay Positive

Experts say it takes 21 days to form a habit so remember that you can’t just go from nothing to starting the habit right away. If you forget to floss, just pick up where you left off. It will soon become a part of your daily routine without even thinking twice about it.