Dental Floss It is a well known fact that even regular brushing is not very effective in reaching the deep-seated crevices of the teeth. Hence flossing is a very effective method in reaching these crevices. Dental floss is a special kind of nylon or silk thread, which is passed through the gaps between the teeth, through gentle to and fro sawing motions. The floss is then worked up and down the crevices. Dental floss can be bought from the market in the form of threads wound around a spool. These may be either waxed or unwaxed. Waxed floss is generally easier to handle. Nowadays you may also get them in a variety of flavors. How to use dental floss- it is advised that dental floss should be used in a gentle manner as it can hurt the gums and the external teeth. Flossing should also be carried out for a short duration of time. The required amount of floss is cut from the spool and wrapped around the index fingers of both hands, to enable a good hold. This should be such that friction is reduced by directly pressing it with the fingers. Another way of using floss is by tying the two ends in knots, to make a round loop. Floss wands and floss picks are used to hold dental floss in a proper way. These have 2 prongs attached to a handle and the floss is attached between the prongs.