Medical Insider–Dr Rhoda entero

All that we need to know about Flossing

(Part 2)

This is part 2 of our discussion on Dental Flossing.

Should You Floss Before or After Brushing?
According to studies, flossing first followed by brushing seems to be the best course of action. In particular, you should brush with fluoride paste for the best results.

The floss removes the larger bits of food while the toothbrush with toothpaste removes interdental plaque left over from the floss. 

Apparently, brushing first then flossing second is less effective in interdental plaque removal.

Additionally, flossing before brushing ensures better fluoride retention between your teeth compared to flossing away the fluoride from your toothpaste.

Is Brushing Before Flossing Very Bad?
As long as you brush thoroughly then floss on a regular basis, it should be good. The problem is that it’s less effective and misses out on certain areas.

Here are some tips on dental Flossing:

  1. Know How to Floss: While we’re at it, you should know how to properly floss as well. Don’t just use the same piece of floss on every line or interdental area of your teeth. You’re just transferring gunk and plaque from one tooth to another.
  1. One Piece of Floss at a Time: The proper way is to use one piece of floss per interdental space and tooth. You should also scrape the surface of the tooth with your floss to remove plaque for good measure. Scrape the tooth and then use a fresh piece of floss. Scrape, move, floss.
  1. Good Prep for Brushing: Flossing properly and doing so before brushing helps your toothbrush and toothpaste remove less plaque because you’ve already removed it with your floss.
  1. Reversing the Sequence: Theoretically, reversing the sequence should yield the same results, but brushing before flossing only results in less effective brushing and incomplete flossing. The toothbrush should finish the whole thing off.

    Our next article will explain why flossing before brushing is the best while also providing tips on how to get the most out of your dental hygiene regimen. (To be continued)