Should i brush or floss first

Regular, thorough brushing is a very important step in preventing tooth decay and gum disease. Brushing removes the bacteria that promote tooth decay and the plaque that can cause gum disease. Ideally, you should brush after every meal, because the bacterial attack on teeth begins minutes after eating. At the very least, brush once a day and always before you go to bed. Brushing your teeth isn't complicated, but there is a right and a wrong way. Step 1 Brush at a 45 degree angle to your teeth.

Direct the bristles to where your gums and teeth meet. Use a gentle, circular, massaging motion, up and down. Don't scrub. Gums that recede visibly are often a result of years of brushing too hard. Step 2 Clean every surface of every tooth.

The chewing surface, the cheek side, and the tongue side. Step 3 Don't rush your brush. A thorough brushing should take at least two to three minutes. Try timing yourself. Step 4 Change your usual brushing pattern. Most people brush their teeth the same way all the time. Flossing after brushing is often the go-to order for most people. After all, brushing helps remove plaque and food from tooth surfaces, leaving the tighter spots to the floss. However, for some, brushing first then flossing may leave behind plaque or food particles that are removed from in-between teeth while flossing, and that debris can remain in your mouth until the next time you brush.

Maintaining a complete oral care routine of flossing and brushing every day, can help keep plaque out—no matter the order. So, should you brush or floss first? To keep your mouth clean and gums in good condition, it is recommended that you floss at least once and brush twice a day as part of a complete oral hygiene routine.

Remove More Plaque : Plaque gets trapped in-between teeth and flossing helps to dislodge it. Todd Shatkin, a dentist based in Amherst, New York, said cleaning sessions should always begin with flossing to remove any obvious pieces of food and debris first.

He recommends spending at least five minutes thoroughly flossing between each tooth. You're going to get rid of any plaque or calculus in between the teeth. And you can do that on every tooth and you have to go slow. You don't want to rush through it.

It's not just up and down. You want to take that floss, go around the tooth, up and down a little bit and then take it in and out of each space between each tooth. Vanessa Creaven, a dentist based in Ireland and England, said using mouthwash should always come before brushing. The process of brushing distributes active ingredients from toothpastes to teeth and rinsing with mouthwash after that would wash away those ingredients, Creaven said.

So sequentially flossing, using mouthwash and then brushing your teeth is the best order to follow for maximum results. But Dr. Austin said flossing, brushing and using mouthwash are equally as important as each can only do so much individually, but together they clean the entire mouth.

She said a lot of people skip flossing.