Flossing is to brushing as eating well is to exercising. One without the other only ensures you’re heading towards your goal at half speed. If you’re looking to achieve optimal oral health than flossing is not an option, but a must! You’ve probably heard the rundown about flossing more than once: something about this waxed string does wonders for preventing tooth decay, cavities and other oral health complications. But we know that there are still a few aspects of flossing that people are unsure of. Today we’ll address two different flossing questions.

Should You Floss Before Or After Brushing?

So now that we’ve established that flossing and brushing go hand in hand, which hand comes first? That is to say, is it important to do one before the other? And if so which one? You’d be surprised by how many people are dying to know this. Coming straight from the mouths of the American Dental Association, it doesn’t really matter. Whether you choose to brush before or after you’ve flossed is actually for the most part inconsequential. There are several ways to look at the ordering of flossing and brushing, but the ultimate decision is really going to be just whatever you prefer.

• Some people believe that flossing first helps loosen plaque that can then be brushed off with a toothbrush. Another “plus” to flossing first is that it clears the space between your teeth so that the fluoride contained in many toothpastes can better penetrate and coat the space between teeth.

Should You Floss At Night Or In The Morning?

You probably know by now that dentists only recommend flossing once a day. While brushing is something we do upon waking and before bed at night, flossing only needs to happen one of these times. So which one? Is it better to floss early in the morning or before you get in bed? Well the answer isn’t all that different than the previous question’s. It’s important that you floss once a day. What time of day or whether it follows or precedes brushing is less important. However some people have reasoning behind their preferences.

• Many people floss at night because it allows them more time to complete the task properly. Often times you’re in a rush in the morning. This means you might be tempted to skip a few teeth or spend less time on flossing.

• When you sleep your mouth produces less saliva. This means that your mouth isn’t regularly being neutralized by the swallowing and production of saliva. So whatever is in your mouth upon sleeping is likely to sort of remain there till morning. This is why dentists advise not drinking sugary drinks or eating sugary foods before bed. It’s also why it’s necessary for you to brush before sleeping. This line of reasoning might lead some to decide that the best time for flossing is night time. That way the plaque that is caught between your teeth won’t stay stagnant in your mouth all night.

Call Dr. Bosse of Greenspoint Dental if you have any more dental questions that need answering!