You may have seen an article or two going around about flossing that suggests you might not need to floss at all anymore. As you might guess, we have some serious doubts about that. There are some interesting takeaways from all of this flurry, but the most important for you is to keep up with your dental hygiene, regardless of what a random news agency decided. Here are 5 important takeaways from the news about flossing.

Dentists and Periodontists Agree

The American Dental Association and Periodontists both put out statements in agreement. They agree that you should continue to floss, as you have been before.

Keep Up the Technique

The most important part of flossing is the technique. You should make sure to know the flossing basics. Floss your tooth and not your gums. Be gentle. And you don’t need to swipe a tooth more than once or twice per side.

Pick Your Weapon

Flossing doesn’t just have to be a string show. You’re welcome to floss with a floss stick or any other tool that gets between your teeth and gently between your tooth and your gums. The goal is to remove plaque, so the tool is not so important as that you do it.

No Need to Scrape

When you’re flossing, especially after it’s been a long time, try and be careful not to scrape or apply too much pressure. You could tear your gums, which is no fun at all, and is also not the goal of flossing.

Don’t Wait Too Long

If you wait too long between flossing, the plaque that you’re trying to remove will harden into tartar, which can only be handled by a dental hygienist. Of course, no one can avoid plaque entirely, but flossing does its part. If you have any questions about flossing, contact your dentist.