Is it better to floss or brush first?

Answer 1

I read in a magazine article that it is actually better to floss and then brush. When you floss, some plaque falls onto your teeth. That means that you can brush afterwards to get it off. It is believed that one should floss before brushing so that fluoride from the toothpaste can seep between your teeth better.

But I guess it could be another one of those infamous theories, since recently, after a long, long belief, that drinking 2 litres of water a day isn't essential and necessary anymore.

After doing a long search on the web I found that not even dentists agree on this question. They fall about even on either side of this debate, so the main thing is as the saying goes, "Just Do It". Flossing is your best weapon agains gingivitis and periodontal disease which are the main causes of tooth loss. They are also dangerous for persons who may have heart conditions that involve heart murmurs or other valve problems or valve replacements since infection in the gums are known to migrate to the heart valves and cause endocarditis, an infection of the heart. This is very serious and often fatal.

As for the the brush/floss debate, starting and ending with vigorously rinsing the mouth with water or some type of mouthwash is highly recommended since this activity also helps to loosen any particles that may remain. Baking soda-/peroxide-based mouthwashes are the best since their combination kills the most bacteria and the foaming action removes the most particles from the smallest spaces.

There are two reasons to floss first - 1) by flossing first, it clears the space between the teeth, to allow the fluoride in the toothpaste to cover (& penetrate & toughen) all tooth surfaces, when subsequently brushing.

2) It feels better - fresher when you do it this way. (More noticeable when using a minty toothpaste) Try it both ways, do it the way you like. Most important thing is that you do floss and brush. My (not unbiased) opinion is that flossing is more important than brushing.

There is one reason to brush first - that is because some dentists teach it that way. One dentist told me that the reason (some) teach brushing first then flossing is that it would be contradicting their earlier teaching to brush (only) - before flossing became 'known'. Said contradiction could lead to loss of face - yes, this was in Asia.

The best possible way to do it is by brushing thoroughly , then flossing, then re-brushing.

A)If one flosses then brushes, plaque, etc. from dirty teeth could be carried down in between the teeth and under the gum, making the process less effective. Brushing before flossing prevents this.

But...

B)If one brushes then flosses, plaque, etc. from between the teeth and gum could be redeposited onto the teeth while flossing, again making the process less effective.

This is why it is best to brush, floss, and follow up with a re-brushing to completely clean the teeth.

Here's my suggestion for a solution to this dilemma: Brush, floss and then rinse with a proper anti-cavity product, not just mouth wash. This way, you are flossing clean teeth and not forcing bacteria into your gums and the mouth rinse will wash away anything left behind after flossing. Rinse for at least 60 seconds.

Answer 2

I read in a magazine article that it is actually better to floss and then brush. When you floss, some plaque falls onto your teeth. That means that you can brush afterwards to get it off. It is believed that one should floss before brushing so that fluoride from the toothpaste can seep between your teeth better.

But I guess it could be another one of those infamous theories, since recently, after a long, long belief, that drinking 2 litres of water a day isn't essential and necessary anymore.

After doing a long search on the web I found that not even dentists agree on this question. They fall about even on either side of this debate, so the main thing is as the saying goes, "Just Do It". Flossing is your best weapon agains gingivitis and periodontal disease which are the main causes of tooth loss. They are also dangerous for persons who may have heart conditions that involve heart murmurs or other valve problems or valve replacements since infection in the gums are known to migrate to the heart valves and cause endocarditis, an infection of the heart. This is very serious and often fatal.

As for the the brush/floss debate, starting and ending with vigorously rinsing the mouth with water or some type of mouthwash is highly recommended since this activity also helps to loosen any particles that may remain. Baking soda-/peroxide-based mouthwashes are the best since their combination kills the most bacteria and the foaming action removes the most particles from the smallest spaces.

There are two reasons to floss first - 1) by flossing first, it clears the space between the teeth, to allow the fluoride in the toothpaste to cover (& penetrate & toughen) all tooth surfaces, when subsequently brushing.

2) It feels better - fresher when you do it this way. (More noticeable when using a minty toothpaste) Try it both ways, do it the way you like. Most important thing is that you do floss and brush. My (not unbiased) opinion is that flossing is more important than brushing.

There is one reason to brush first - that is because some dentists teach it that way. One dentist told me that the reason (some) teach brushing first then flossing is that it would be contradicting their earlier teaching to brush (only) - before flossing became 'known'. Said contradiction could lead to loss of face - yes, this was in Asia.

The best possible way to do it is by brushing thoroughly , then flossing, then re-brushing.

A)If one flosses then brushes, plaque, etc. from dirty teeth could be carried down in between the teeth and under the gum, making the process less effective. Brushing before flossing prevents this.

But...

B)If one brushes then flosses, plaque, etc. from between the teeth and gum could be redeposited onto the teeth while flossing, again making the process less effective.

This is why it is best to brush, floss, and follow up with a re-brushing to completely clean the teeth.

Here's my suggestion for a solution to this dilemma: Brush, floss and then rinse with a proper anti-cavity product, not just mouth wash. This way, you are flossing clean teeth and not forcing bacteria into your gums and the mouth rinse will wash away anything left behind after flossing. Rinse for at least 60 seconds.