Brushing and flossing are both important for your oral health. Both should be done together. “However, if you had to pick one, flossing is more important if done correctly,” she says.
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.
It's best to use all of them to get the best results. However, if you had to choose the best one, floss would be at the top of the list because it removes the most destructive plaque that resides in places a toothbrush can't reach. Flossing can replace brushing, but only if you do it correctly.
Researchers have found modest benefits from flossing in small clinical studies. For instance, an analysis of 12 well-controlled studies found that flossing plus toothbrushing reduced mild gum disease, or gingivitis, significantly better than toothbrushing alone.
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.
Both should be done together. “However, if you had to pick one, flossing is more important if done correctly,” she says. The goal of flossing and brushing is to remove plaque buildup. Plaque consists of active colonies of destructive bacteria, which basically eat and then excrete on our teeth.
The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends brushing your beautiful smile twice a day. Skip a session, and you're on your way to encouraging the growth of bacterial buildup in the form of plaque, which can lead to cavities and even gum disease.
As long as you have not lost all your teeth, it is never too late to start flossing.
In fact, regular brushing and flossing can reverse signs of gingivitis in approximately two weeks since these methods remove all the irritants that were the cause of the ailment.
If daily flossing takes you less than 30 seconds to do your entire mouth, you should slow down and go for accuracy. If it takes you 90 seconds, you are fighting off gum disease and decay. And if it takes you 2-3 minutes, you deserve a gold star.
We get it: When you're tired or tipsy (or both), your bed looks a lot more inviting than your toothbrush. This helps explain why pretty much everybody has skipped a nighttime tooth brushing session at least once. (And a lot of people have done it a lot more than that.)
Flossing Improves the Health of Your Gums
Flossing is like exercising, if you do so on a regular basis, your body is used to it and doesn't get extremely sore from a workout. When you floss daily, the gums get used to the sensation and are kept clean.
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 plaque will gradually build up if people do not floss their teeth. Food particles will accumulate between the teeth. Germs and sticky bacteria in film form, known as plaque, will thrive. Plaque can build up to the point that it not only looks quite unsightly but also causes other health issues to boot.
The Night Time Is The Right Time
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.
Twice daily brushing is best for most people – but once a day is better than nothing! If you decide to brush once a day, consider timing it just before bed or just after waking. Also think about other dental care activities you can do. For example, recent research shows antiseptic mouth wash can help reduce plaque.
But since it's so deeply ingrained into almost everyone's routine, it might surprise you to learn that about 20% of people aren't properly brushing each morning and evening. That can ultimately cause some serious consequences for gum health, and could even end up a contributing factor in emergency dental care.
Brushing not only removes the plaque but also prevents it from forming. After three days, bacteria have had an ample opportunity to overproduce can cause significant plaque.
Only brushing will remove it. Aside from your teeth, you also need to think about what's going on between them. Floss and interdental cleaners are the only way to clean between your teeth. Water flossers are useful as well, but mouthwash just won't do it.
When oral hygiene is neglected, plaque buildup occurs. This leads to weakened tooth structure and cavities as well as inflamed gums. Excessive plaque buildup can take a while, and a cavity will not appear after one missed brushing and flossing session.
To test how clean your teeth are, brush one of your front teeth using the single toothbrush. Next, run your tongue over the tooth you brushed and a few of its neighbours. You should immediately feel the difference – the tooth you cleaned with the single toothbrush will be noticeably smoother than the others.
Unfortunately, when you rinse immediately after brushing, you're washing away a lot of the fluoride in toothpaste before it can strengthen your tooth enamel. To maximize the beneficial cavity-fighting effect of fluoride, spit out excess toothpaste but do not rinse your mouth.