While it may be surprising, a study has found that flossing first followed by brushing with a fluoride toothpaste is more effective in removing interdental plaque than brushing first, flossing second. In addition, flossing before brushing results in greater fluoride retention between teeth.
Most people brush, floss and then use mouthwash. And some just brush, skipping the other two steps. As it turns out, it's actually more effective to floss, use mouthwash, then brush, according to dentists — and they don't recommend skipping any steps.
Flossing before brushing will remove food, plaque, and saliva from the gum line and between the teeth. Then when brushing, these particles are removed. This also allows fluoride and toothpaste to get into those now-vacant areas where food was trapped.
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.
That's why the American Dental Association recommends you floss once a day to remove food particles and plaque – the sticky film on your teeth that can lead to cavities and gum disease. Plaque contains cavity-causing bacteria that feed on leftover food in your mouth.
Is it ever too late to start flossing? The good news is that it is never too late to start flossing whatever is your age. Keeping your teeth in top condition is crucial to your dental health and hygiene. Flossing is one way you can achieve the best state for your teeth.
By flossing regularly for three to ten days, your body will adapt to the irritation and the gum tissue will begin to toughen. After roughly a week, your gums should stop bleeding. If they continue to bleed even after you've been flossing for a while, consult your dentist for any potential gum problems you may have.
When you don't floss, plaque builds up between your teeth and gums. This can cause gingivitis, the early stage of gum disease. Gingivitis causes your gums to become red, swollen, irritated, and easily bleed when you brush.
The white stuff that you find on the floss, is a colony of bacteria you have just disrupted. As soon as you're done, they'll start their process of rebuilding. That's why daily is important.
Yes, the Dentist Knows
Obviously, your dentist will be able to tell if your habit of not flossing has led to cavities between your teeth. However, even if the problem hasn't reached that point yet, your dentist and dental hygienist will still be able to tell in a second whether you've been flossing.
It is SO important to floss after every meal, if you don't, food particles can get stuck in-between your teeth for days which causes decay, plaque buildup, and bad breath.
Whether your teeth are already exhibiting a yellowish-tinge or suffering from extreme sensitivity to hot or cold food and beverages, it's never too late for you to improve your personal dental care routine. Imagine this: your smile is the first thing people notice when they meet you.
You ought to do this delicately as opposed to being excessively forceful, or you'll end up with bleeding or harming your gums. After you slide the floss between your teeth, you should bend it around the tooth and let it plunge beneath the gum line (in a perfect world, it should plunge around 2 – 3 millimeters down).
Your Gums Shouldn't Bleed When You Floss
It should be a gentle motion moving it up and down along the sides of each tooth. The aim is to clean the areas a toothbrush can miss, not just pulling the floss back and forth and irritating the gumline.
Flossing once a day is often enough, but you can floss twice a day if you want to be sure that you're getting all the food out from between your teeth.
Forgetting to floss can:
Make you fall victim to gum disease: If you don't remove plaque from the surfaces of the teeth as well as from the gumline, it can severely affect the gums. In fact, it can irritate and infect the gums to make them swell and bleed.
Ideally, patients will floss at least once a day. The best time to floss is at night before bed and before you've brushed your teeth. It's important to floss before brushing, as brushing will help displace any of the substances you dislodge from between your teeth from your mouth.
While flossing, you will want to gently move the floss around each tooth and should not touch the gums. Moving the floss in the opposite direction of the gum line can help decrease the risk hitting the gums while you floss.
Wrap the tooth with floss in a “C” shape. Move the floss up and down the side of the tooth surface and gently under the gumline. Repeat on the next tooth.
The stink of halitosis will linger on your dental floss after you have flossed your teeth. Take a whiff of your floss when you're done. If it smells, that means you have bad breath and the smell on the floss is coming out of your mouth. If the floss does not have a strong odor, it likely means you're in the clear.
Brushing only removes plaque from the front and back of the teeth while flossing removes plaque from between your teeth and underneath the gums. These are hard to reach areas where most destructive microbes live. Failing to remove plaque from these areas can cause gum disease such as gingivitis.
In most cases, it's best to brush your teeth before breakfast. This ensures that your enamel is protected and that you don't run out of time before leaving the house for work or school. Sugar-free gum is a great way to clean your teeth and achieve fresh breath after breakfast while also supporting a healthy smile.
Does it Matter What Time of Day You Floss? In the grand scheme of things, it really doesn't matter if you floss first thing in the morning or right before bed every night. Ultimately, what matters is that you are flossing regularly and properly so that your teeth stay healthy and free of dental decay.
First, the evening allows for more time to properly floss so you don't rush through it. Second, flossing will remove food particles from between your teeth, which provides a good period of time for your teeth to be free of any particles that generate plaque as you sleep.