XP TRACKERHow to build a flossing habit
Most people know they should floss. The habit breaks at 11 p.m., when you're tired, the toothbrush is already in your mouth and the floss is in a drawer. Move the floss, start with one tooth, and build from there.
Why it's harder than it sounds
Flossing takes two or three minutes. You know the steps. The trouble is when and where the habit has to happen.
Three things usually get in the way:
- It comes at the end of the day. You floss when you're at your most tired, and the bed is ten steps away. Any small obstacle wins.
- It's fiddly at first. Wrapping floss around your fingers and reaching the back teeth takes practice. The first tries feel clumsy and slow.
- The first week can sting. Gums that aren't used to floss often bleed a little. Many people stop right there, at the point where the habit was about to settle in.
Start smaller than you think
Your starter habit is one tooth. After you brush at night, floss the gap that catches food most. Then you're done for the night.
It sounds too small to matter. It works because the hard part of flossing is picking up the floss, and one tooth gets you past that. Most nights you'll keep going once the floss is in your hand. On the nights you don't, one tooth still counts.
The cue is putting your toothbrush down. To make that cue work, take the floss out of the drawer and stand it next to the toothbrush, where you can see it.
An example starter plan
Move to the next step only when the current one feels boring. If a week was hard, repeat it.
- Days 1 to 7: one tooth after brushingFloss sits next to your toothbrush. Brush, floss one gap, tick it off.
- Days 8 to 14: the front teethTop and bottom front teeth, about a minute. The easy-to-reach ones build the hand movement.
- Days 15 to 21: the whole mouthGo slowly and take your time on the back teeth. Expect two or three minutes.
- Days 22 to 30: make it travel-proofKeep a pack of floss picks in your bag and by your bed for late nights, trips and evenings at someone else's place.
Make flossing easier
- Use enough floss. A piece about 45 cm long lets you wind most of it around one finger and use a clean section for each gap.
- Curve it around the tooth. Hold the floss in a C shape against the side of each tooth and slide it up and down, a little under the gumline. Don't saw it back and forth.
- Try another tool. Floss picks, interdental brushes and water flossers all exist because string floss doesn't suit everyone. Ask your dentist which fits your gaps.
- Change the room. If the bathroom at night is the problem, floss with a pick on the sofa while you watch something, then brush.
Common mistakes
- Stopping when your gums bleed. Light bleeding at the start is common. Keep going gently, and see your dentist if it doesn't settle.
- Snapping floss down onto the gum. Ease it between the teeth with a slow back-and-forth motion.
- Flossing the week before a dental visit. Your hygienist can tell, and a burst of effort builds no habit.
What to do after a missed day
Floss one tooth tonight and carry on. A missed night costs you nothing you can't pick up again tomorrow.
If a week or more has slipped by, go back one step in the plan. Your gums may bleed a little again, which is normal after a break. Our guide to getting back on track covers restarts in more detail.
Look at when you miss. If it's always the nights you come home late, the cue is the bathroom routine you skip on those nights. Keep picks by the bed and floss there.
Floss as a quest in XP Tracker
In XP Tracker, Floss is one of the optional quests you can add from the library of about 60 (tap + Add a quest). It's a plain check-off: you floss, you tap it, it's done. It runs daily by default, and you can limit it to certain days of the week. A quest you add today starts tomorrow. The art below is the Hunter version.
Clean Start, a core quest every player has, already covers brushing your teeth in the morning, so Floss fits at the other end of the day. Finishing it earns XP for your hero and damage on the current boss. It keeps its own streak, and skipping a night only costs the XP you didn't earn. For more ideas to pair with it, see our list of real-life daily quests, or meet the Hunter, the class about patience and long-term aim.
Questions people ask
How often should I floss?
Dentists generally advise cleaning between your teeth once a day. Once is enough. Doing it every day matters more than doing it many times.
Should I floss before or after brushing?
Either order works. Pick the one you'll stick to and keep it the same each night, so one step reminds you of the other.
My gums bleed when I floss. Should I stop?
Light bleeding is common when you start, and for many people it eases after a week or two of gentle daily flossing. If your gums keep bleeding, hurt, or swell, see your dentist.
Are floss picks or water flossers as good as string floss?
They can be a good option, and a tool you use every night beats one that stays in the drawer. Interdental brushes suit some gaps better than floss. Your dentist or hygienist can tell you which tool fits your teeth.
How long does it take to make flossing a habit?
It varies from person to person. Most people find it feels normal after a few weeks of flossing at the same moment each night. Tying it to brushing is the fastest way to get there.
Start your journey
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