Dental floss has been around for a while now, and it has become more convenient and more affordable. This is very good news indeed since dental floss is a regular part of oral hygiene. As easy as it seems, flossing the wrong way can notch your teeth and even cut your gums. Here is an easy guide for you to floss correctly.

1. Tear off about a forearm’s length of floss.

2. Wrap one end around the middle finger of one hand to “anchor” it. Pick up the other end about 4-6 inches away with the middle finger of the other hand.

3. Get the floss past the tooth contact and move it up and down perpendicular to the teeth.

Keep in mind that you absolutely must not "shoe-shine" the teeth with a back-and-forth motion. This seemingly harmless motion might result in gum tissue damage. Keep the habit of flossing to keep your teeth clean and healthy, but make sure you do it the right way to avoid injuries that can leave your mouth open to bacterial infection.