One of the simplest preventive hygiene exercises you can do for yourself is something you’ve heard of before. It bears repeating: floss.
Every 24 hours, bacteria contribute to a new batch of plaque. Brushing, no matter how well or how long, won’t get all the “bugs,” especially between teeth and where your teeth meet gum tissue.
Flossing before or after brushing should be a part of everyone’s home care program. The kind of floss—waxed, unwaxed or tape—doesn’t matter. Just choose what you’re comfortable with and use it.
- Wrap about 18 inches of floss around your fingers. Give yourself an inch or two to work with. If the floss frays or builds up with debris, re-loop the floss and keep at it.
- Start on the upper molars, way in the back; they’re the most difficult to reach. Remember teeth are some-what rounded, so floss up and down rather than back and forth. Follow the curve of enamel on every surface you can, three to four passes each.
- Where teeth meet you may need to use a gentle sawing motion to pull the floss to the gumline. But avoid any sawing at the gumline—it may damage soft tissue.
- Rinse when done, and there you are.
If you feel you’re “all thumbs,” try using a floss threader. We’ll show you how to handle one. Just ask us.
Dr. Angela Burns moved to Austin 10 years ago and instantly fell in love with our beautiful city. Dr. Burns is originally from the Texarkana area. She attended Texas A&M for her undergraduate degree and The University of Tennessee Health Science Center for her degree in dental surgery (DDS). Dr. Burns is committed to providing her patients with gentle, technologically advanced dental treatment. She attends an average of 60 hours of continuing education every year. She is a member of the American Dental Association, the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, the Texas Dental Association, and the Capital Area Dental Society. Dr. Burns and her husband, Gary, have an 11-year-old daughter, Sydney, who is a proud 6th grader at Hill Country Middle School. She is also very involved in the Eanes PTO, her church, and loves raising her family in the Westlake community. “Growing up, I was drawn to mediating and helping others feel more included and less anxious. I was a camp counselor, student government officer and being the oldest of five, I was the family mediator. I found that I had a calling to help alleviate stressful situations for others and realized that being a good listener was something that was key to this. These skills really helped guide me into becoming a dentist that has based my practice on relationships, empathy and a sense of comfort. I knew that I wanted to provide an atmosphere that felt like home when others walked in. Our practice is small, personal and state of the art and we hope you feel like you’re hanging out with friends when you are here!” When she is not practicing dentistry, Dr. Burns enjoys traveling, hiking the greenbelt, enjoying Austin’s music scene, and eating Amy’s Ice Cream.
