Yes, you should clean between your teeth once a day. Your toothbrush only reaches about 60% of each tooth’s surface, and the tight spaces between teeth are where plaque sits longest and where gum disease and cavities usually start. Skipping it now and then isn’t an emergency, but skipping it for months is how a small, reversible gum problem turns into something your family dentistry team has to treat in the chair.
If you’re reading this because your gums bled the last time you tried, that’s common and usually temporary. Light bleeding during the first week of flossing tends to fade as the gums calm down. At Hummingbird Dental, we hear the same worry from patients every week, and most of them are surprised how fast their gums settle once they stick with it.
Kids need it too. Once two teeth touch, there’s a gap a brush can’t reach, which is why our pediatric dentistry visits always include a quick flossing lesson for parents.
And if you’ve already got crowns, bridges, or implants, cleaning between them protects the work you’ve paid for. Our restorative dentistry patients get shown which tools fit around their specific restorations. You can find our dental clinic in Richmond Hill on Yonge Street, a short drive from most of the city.
Quick answer
Floss (or use another interdental cleaner) once every 24 hours. Do it properly, at whatever time of day you’ll stick with. Bleeding for a few days is normal. Bleeding that lasts more than 2 weeks is a sign to book a checkup.
What does flossing actually do?
Flossing is the mechanical removal of plaque and food debris from the spaces between teeth and just under the gumline. That’s the whole job.
Plaque is a sticky biofilm made of bacteria. Left alone, it starts irritating the gums within a day or 2, and after roughly 24 to 72 hours it can begin hardening into tartar (also called calculus). Tartar can’t be flossed or brushed off. Only a hygienist can remove it.
So the point of daily flossing is simple: you break up the plaque colony before it gets organized enough to cause damage.
Where does brushing fall short?
Each tooth has 5 surfaces. A brush cleans 3 of them well (the front, back, and chewing surface). The 2 sides that face neighbouring teeth are mostly out of reach, especially in the back of the mouth where teeth sit tight together.
That’s why cavities between teeth (dentists call them interproximal cavities) are so common in people who brush well but skip flossing. They often show up only on an X-ray because you can’t see them in a mirror.
What happens if you don’t floss?
Nothing dramatic happens after 1 missed night. The trouble builds slowly, which is exactly why it’s easy to ignore.
Here’s the usual progression when plaque stays between the teeth for months:
- Gingivitis. Gums get red, puffy, and bleed when you brush. This stage is fully reversible with better cleaning and a professional visit.
- Tartar buildup. Hardened deposits form along and below the gumline, giving bacteria a rough surface to cling to.
- Periodontitis. The infection moves deeper. The gum pulls away from the tooth and forms pockets. Bone that holds the tooth starts to break down, and that bone loss doesn’t grow back on its own.
- Tooth mobility or loss. In advanced cases, teeth loosen and may need to come out.
Gum disease is also linked with other health problems, including diabetes and heart disease. Researchers are still sorting out cause and effect, so I won’t overstate it. But the link is consistent enough that physicians and dentists both pay attention to it.
Is it true that flossing has “no proof” behind it?
You may have seen headlines from 2016 saying the evidence for flossing was weak. That story got a lot of mileage, and it’s worth clearing up.
The reviews behind those headlines found that many flossing studies were short, small, and poorly designed. Weak studies mean the research was thin. People in those studies also tended to floss badly, which muddied the results.
Meanwhile, the evidence that plaque causes gum disease is very strong. And studies that look at interdental cleaning in general (floss, interdental brushes, water flossers) consistently show less gum inflammation when people do it. Health Canada and the Canadian Dental Association both still recommend cleaning between your teeth daily.
Myth vs fact
- Myth: If your gums bleed, you should stop flossing. Fact: Bleeding usually means the gums are already inflamed. Gentle daily cleaning is what calms them down.
- Myth: Mouthwash can replace floss. Fact: Rinses can’t scrape off plaque stuck to the sides of teeth.
- Myth: Flossing makes gaps bigger. Fact: Correct flossing doesn’t move teeth. Gaps that seem to appear are usually from gum swelling going down.
Should you floss before or after brushing?
Either works. If you need a rule, floss first.
Flossing first loosens plaque and food from between teeth, and then brushing sweeps it away. It also lets the fluoride in your toothpaste reach the spaces you just cleared. A small study in the Journal of Periodontology found slightly better plaque removal and higher fluoride levels between teeth when people flossed before brushing.
The bigger point is consistency. Flossing after brushing every night beats flossing first twice a week.
What time of day is best?
Night is the best choice for most people. Saliva flow drops while you sleep, so food and plaque left between teeth have hours to sit undisturbed. Cleaning before bed takes that fuel away.
How do you floss the right way?
Most people who say flossing “doesn’t work” for them are snapping the floss down and pulling it straight back out. That misses most of the plaque.
- Pull off about 45 cm (18 inches) of floss and wrap most of it around your middle fingers.
- Hold a short piece taut between your thumbs and index fingers.
- Slide it gently between 2 teeth using a back-and-forth motion. Don’t snap it into the gum.
- Curve the floss into a C shape against one tooth and slide it just under the gumline.
- Move it up and down 2 or 3 times, then curve it around the neighbouring tooth and repeat.
- Use a fresh section of floss for each gap, and don’t forget the back side of your last molars.
The whole mouth takes 2 to 3 minutes once you’ve got the hang of it.
Floss vs interdental brushes vs water flossers: which is best?
The best tool is the one you’ll actually use every day. Each has a place, and your hygienist can tell you which suits your mouth.
| Tool | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| String floss | Tight contacts, most adults | Takes some practice to get the C shape right |
| Floss picks | Beginners, kids, limited hand mobility | Harder to wrap around the tooth |
| Interdental brushes | Wider gaps, gum recession, bridges | Need the right size for each space |
| Water flosser | Braces, implants, sensitive gums | Less effective on sticky plaque in tight contacts |
If you have braces, a fixed bridge, or dental implants, floss threaders or a water flosser make life much easier. Ask at your next cleaning and the team will show you on a model.
Why do your gums bleed when you start flossing?
Bleeding gums are a sign of inflammation, almost always caused by plaque that’s been sitting at the gumline. When you start cleaning there, the inflamed tissue bleeds easily.
Keep going, gently, for 7 to 10 days. In most people, the bleeding drops off noticeably by the second week.
When is bleeding a reason to see a dentist?
- Bleeding that continues past 2 weeks of daily, gentle flossing
- Gums that look shiny, swollen, or are pulling away from teeth
- Bad breath or a bad taste that won’t go away
- Loose teeth or a change in your bite
- Pus around a tooth, or a painful swollen spot (this can be an abscess and needs prompt care)
Some medications, blood-thinning drugs in particular, can make gums bleed more easily. Pregnancy hormones can too. Don’t stop any prescribed medicine on your own. Mention it at your visit so your dentist can plan around it.
Real-life examples we see often
The “great brusher.” A patient in his 30s brushed twice a day with an electric brush and never flossed. His checkup X-rays showed 3 small cavities, all between back teeth. Caught early, they needed only small fillings.
The bleeding-gum quitter. A woman stopped flossing because her gums bled every time. After a professional cleaning and 2 weeks of gentle daily flossing, the bleeding stopped and her gum measurements improved at the next visit.
The bridge owner. A retiree with a 3-unit bridge didn’t know food could get trapped under it. A floss threader fixed the bad-breath problem he’d been fighting for months.
How can you make flossing a habit that sticks?
- Keep floss where you’ll see it: next to your toothbrush, in the car, at your desk.
- Tie it to something you already do, like right after you take out your contacts.
- Start with just your back teeth for a week. Then add the rest.
- Try picks or a water flosser if string floss frustrates you.
- Track it on a calendar for 21 days. It feels silly. It also works.
Why regular cleanings still matter, even if you floss
Daily flossing slows plaque down. It doesn’t remove tartar that’s already formed, and it can’t spot early decay. That’s what checkups and professional cleanings are for.
Hummingbird Dental is a family dentist in Richmond Hill that has won the Top Choice Award for Richmond Hill Dentist in 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. Patients often tell us it’s the reason they picked us as their dental office in Richmond Hill, but they stay because of how the visits feel: calm, unhurried, and explained in plain language.
We’re open 6 days a week, including Saturdays and extended weekday evenings, so cleanings fit around work and school. We welcome new patients and accept CDCP (Canadian Dental Care Plan) patients. Our team speaks English, Persian, Russian, Portuguese, Hindi, and Urdu, which helps a lot when a family wants to ask questions in their first language.
You can find us at 10376 Yonge St #202, Richmond Hill, ON L4C 3B8. Call +1 647-370-2024 or email info@hummingbirddental.ca to book. If something hurts or a tooth breaks, ask about same-day emergency appointments.
Frequently asked questions
Is it bad to floss twice a day?
Not if you’re gentle. Once a day is enough for most people, but twice is fine. Aggressive flossing, snapping the floss into the gum or sawing hard, can irritate tissue, so focus on technique over frequency.
Can flossing damage my gums?
Poor technique can cause small cuts or soreness at the gumline. Using the C shape and sliding gently below the gum avoids that. If you notice a groove forming in the gum, ask your hygienist to check your method.
At what age should children start flossing?
As soon as 2 teeth touch, usually somewhere between ages 2 and 6. Parents should floss for young children, and most kids can do it alone with floss picks by around age 8 to 10.
Is a water flosser as good as regular floss?
For many people, especially those with braces, implants, or bridges, a water flosser is a good choice and reduces gum bleeding well. For tight contacts with sticky plaque, string floss still does a slightly better scraping job. Some people use both.
How long until I see a difference after I start flossing?
Most people notice less bleeding and fresher breath within 1 to 2 weeks. Gum measurements at your next checkup usually show improvement too, as long as you’ve been consistent.
Conclusion
Daily flossing is one of the cheapest ways to protect your gums and the sides of your teeth.
A little bleeding at first is normal, and it usually settles within 2 weeks of gentle, steady cleaning.
Pair the habit with regular checkups so small problems get caught while they’re still easy to fix.
