Do You Floss Before or After You Brush?

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Do You Floss Before or After You Brush?

June 19, 2008

I know this question seems somewhat trivial, but it has sparked an earnest debate at my house. I am not sure if your answer says anything about your character or commitment to dental health, but folks tend to fall clearly on one side or the other. So tell me . . .

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46 Comments

Ashlie H 4 years 47 weeks

In the morning I listerine and then brush. Before bed I listerine, floss, Brush, and then use ACT rinse. I love that stuff.

radmama27 4 years 48 weeks

both

idawson 4 years 48 weeks

I like to mix it up too.I usually remember to floss but sometimes I do it before sometimes after. There is no rhyme or reason in my world. At the end of the day as long as my teeth are nice and clean and my breath is fresh I am happy.

Kimpossible 4 years 48 weeks

torgleson, I think poster #7 does :-)

Kimpossible 4 years 48 weeks

Brush, floss, listerine.

True Song 4 years 48 weeks

Does no one floss randomly? I floss while I watch tv or in the car.

bettywhite 4 years 48 weeks

i floss first because that's what my uncle (who is also my dentist) always recommended.

ilanac13 4 years 48 weeks

i've done both actually. it really depends on what i'm doing etc. after a meal i might floss first, and then sometimes i'll floss afterwards - like before bed...

dukegirl 4 years 48 weeks

I floss, then brush, then use Tri-Oral, which is a great mouthwash sold on QVC. http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/view.2/app.detail

yellowbanana 4 years 48 weeks

Shame on the people who don't floss at all! I floss before I brush because it makes sense, like everyone else said.

blooditsnotfunny 4 years 48 weeks

lol i like the kiss kittens step. this should be an essential step in all bedtime routines!

alethia037 4 years 48 weeks

My dentist told me to brush my teeth for a minute with a dry brush first, because it gets a layer of gunk off. Then floss. Then brush with toothpaste. I've been doing it that way for a few weeks now, and my teeth seem to feel cleaner by my bedtime brushing. I asked why they floss after at the dentists, and he said cause they aren't actually "brushing" your teeth... they are "polishing". OOOHHHH. ;)

dannysf 4 years 48 weeks

Nancy, I'm with your boyfriend. I didn't even know this was a topic of discussion. I thought everyone flossed then brushed. Apparently I'M in the minority. Let me know what your dentist says.

nancita 4 years 48 weeks

So funny: My boyfriend and I recently had a discussion about this same thing. I always floss after brushing, and he just thinks that's totally weird. I wonder what my dentist would say. Rocketgirl, I don't think it's a good idea to brush twice in a row like that. You could be overbrushing.

Spectra 4 years 48 weeks

If I don't brush first, there's too much crud in there for me to floss. So I brush, then floss, then rinse with Listerine to rinse all the junk out that I got out by flossing.

rocketgirl 4 years 48 weeks

Brush--> floss--> brush again--> mouthwash

angel0950 4 years 48 weeks

floss first!

Lovecat 4 years 48 weeks

*** My dentist says you're supposed to floss BEFORE brushing your teeth. Flossing gets rid of all the food that carries bacteria, then you brush to clean away any leffover bacteria, then follow up with mouthwash. The other way around wouldn't make sense. You would be cleaning away bacteria, then flossing and getting bacteria all over your clean teeth...DUH. ***

murdock99tx 4 years 48 weeks

Floss, rinse. Brush teeth, brush tongue, rinse. Climb in bed. Kiss kittens. Turn off lamp. Sleep.

LesleyP825 4 years 48 weeks

Brush, floss, Crest Pro Health rinse.

tlsgirl 4 years 48 weeks

When I do remember to floss, which is about once a week, I do it after to get what toothbrush couldn't reach.

babygal14 4 years 48 weeks

I FLOSS BEFORE BECAUSE U SHOULD TAKE OUT THE FOOD PARTICLES FIRST THEN START BRUSHING YOUR TEETH I READ THAT U SHOULD DO THAT ON THE CREST OR COLGATE SITE ON TIPS FOR BRUSHING AND FLOSSING YOUR TEETH :)

angelfromlsu 4 years 48 weeks

I have braces so I get tons of junk in my mouth after eating. I brush with Sonicare, then floss (which takes forever...sigh...1 more month left!), and then brush again with a real toothbrush since food gets loosened after flossing. Then a rince with Dr. Tichenor mouth wash (Oh yeah...I'm hardcore like that).

cravinsugar 4 years 48 weeks

I usually floss before I brush, but last night I flossed after and still got out food chunks...then i was like, well how does the toothpaste get in there if the food is in the way? So I will go back to my usual routine. I also floss usually multiple times daily, but because of gas i am broke and am using the free floss on a roll the dentist gave me as opposed to buying my favorite "twin-line plackers" they relaly do get more crap out of your teeth...

amybdk 4 years 48 weeks

tongue scrapers are the bomb, by the way! once you start using one, it's hard to imagine life before without! :nerdgirl:

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