Answered! Should I Floss My Teeth Before or After Brushing?

Flossing in between the teeth plays a very important role in getting rid of food debris which can cause bad breath and gum disease. Brushing the teeth can not perform the role of a floss because the toothbrush can not reach in between the teeth. When it comes to flossing and brushing the teeth, people are often in a dilemma of which to do first; they commonly ask whether to floss before brushing the teeth or the other way round.

There is really no hard and fast rule to the sequence it should be done, however, there are advantages to flossing first. When you floss your teeth before brushing, you dislodge food debris which can then be brushed off giving the mouth a fresh breath. Also, fluoride (present in toothpaste) which prevents tooth decay is able to get in between the teeth if cleared of debris before brushing.

It is still okay if you decide to brush your teeth before flossing, you still get food particles out, you just might leave tiny particles hiding around the mouth which might give the mouth a bad smell on waking up.

In conclusion, the decision to floss before or after brushing is totally at the discretion of the individual. The most important thing is that you floss once a day and brush your teeth twice daily with a fluoride containing toothpaste especially before going to bed.

Photo credit: MyTechGuys and Men’sHealth

Share this post