Do you floss before or after brushing?

Brush, floss, brush again or mouthwash

I brush first, then I floss and then I rinse with mouthwash.

Every single dentist I have been to has said that if they had to choose between flossing and brushing, they would choose to floss. It removes the build-up and potential bacteria better than a brush.

I floss once a day, before going to bed, and then brush my teeth. There doesn’t seem to be a point to floss in the morning, since I haven’t eaten since the last time. I used to keep a pack of floss in my desk at work, and on occasion, have carried it in a hand bag, but only use it when necessary. Mouthwash is kept on hand, but it’s use isn’t regular.

This is just a guess, but I would think that it makes more sense to brush first. It seems to me that the floss can catch stuff loosened by the brushing, but not the other way around.

Après le brossage.

@LostInParadise You may have a point. I just rinse with water after flossing, then brush and rinse again.

I brush,floss then brush again.

I’m a sporadic flosser. Shhh, don’t tell my dentist, haha

I tend to only floss the teeth I want to keep. lol

I have good teeth, so maybe I am lazy. Just had a checkup and cleaning, alls well..but, I WILL floss more than every other day or so. My bad. :-D

My kids came back from teeth brushing class at school (yes, dental health in scotland is so poor that children get taught it at school) and told me ‘No Water Allowed’. Spit only to leave a protective layer of toothpaste over your teeth. I never knew that.

@Stinley That’s a new one for me, too. Thanks for sharing it.

Floss then brush. It seems too much work to floss again after that.

Floss first, then brush. Flossing loosens any placque or debris in between your teeth and then brushing gets rid of it.

I hate mouthwash.

I floss morning and evening and use one of those tiny little bottle brush looking things after eating.

Floss first, when I bother to floss.

@JLeslie

Oh good. another shameful not enough flosser, I don’t feel so alone. haha

Actually a lot of plaque is about the mineral content of ones saliva. Some people build up more plaque easier. I am nearly plaqueless..sooo, there’s my excuse! lol

50/50. Depending on what I grab first.

@Coloma On my left bottom teeth I have a space that is slightly to large, not noticeable at all looking at the teeth, that gets food caught between those two molars, and it forces me to floss or be very uncomfortable, and be very aware that food is probably rotting there if I do not do something about it. Gross. So, minimally I have to floss to take care of that when it happens.

Yup, you’re supposed to floss first, then brush. No rinsing allowed! If you like to use mouthwash, do it before you brush. Otherwise all that protection that’s offered by toothpaste (the ones that say “12 hours of protection!” or something, especially) is rinsed away. My dad (a retired dentist) taught me that years ago. Makes sense.

@Seelix

No wonder you have such a great smile! :-D

Floss, flush, brush, flush, pee, flush.
Edit to add: sleep, sshhh. (Thanks @Coloma)

Okay…who brushes in the shower? I do, I do

@rebbel

Another stanza and you’ve got a fine little poem going on there! haha

That is interesting about the no rinsing. I don’t think any dentist has ever told me that, but it does make sense. That’s it for me, from now on, no more rinsing!!!

Brush, floss, rinse.

Floss, brush, rinse.

Floss, brush, than use a Water Pik.
You will be surprised at the food particles left behind after just brushing and flossing.

Oh yes, I’m a water pik addict too! Maybe that’s why I don’t floss as much. :-)

I floss first and then brush. If I’ve got a sore spot them sometimes I dip the floss in peroxide and go at it again.

I floss after I brush my teeth and I do every single time. I know a couple of my roommates almost never floss, but I was raised to do it every time I brushed my teeth. I occasionally use mouthwash and I used it all the time last year, but I’ve gotten out of the habit of it. I might start using it again, though. :\

Okay…3 minute fluther break…everyone GO FLOSS NOW!

Floss wands are one of the greatest inventions! It’s a toothpick on one end, sometimes with a rasp texture and the end a little bow with floss strung across with snapping into tight spots.

@Coloma I actually did floss, because I didn’t last night before I went to bed lol. Thanks for providing me with this break.

@Blackberry

Now SMILE, you’re on candid camera! lol

I have Corona breath in the moment, soon to be spinach raviole breath, mmmm ;-)

I floss whenever I feel like it (daily). I brush when I wake up and at night or whenever inbetween.

I brush my teeth, then I floss, and then I use mouthwash (this last part not all the time). But sometimes I floss during the day too, it depends on what I ate…

If you floss before brushing, the spaces between your teeth get exposed to the fluoride from the toothpaste. I used to get cavities in that area, but have had none since using this sequence.

@RocketGuy Not if you make your own =)