Flossing or Brushing: Which Should Come First?

By Caroline Jacobson on December 19, 2017 in Dental Health

Brushing and flossing are equally important parts of your daily oral care routine, but should you floss before you brush or brush before you floss?

Trick question—both options are correct!

As long as you do both, you’re taking proper steps to reduce the occurrence of plaque and harmful debris in your mouth, each of which can cause periodontal disease and tooth decay.

Some dentists have opinions on whether you should floss before brushing or not. One theory is that you should floss before brushing to ensure you actually do it. By the time you’re done brushing, you may not want to floss anymore. Another is that you will increase the effectiveness of your toothpaste if you brush and then floss.

Either way, the important thing is that you clean all the surfaces of your teeth, which means the fronts, backs, tops and the sides!

So pick a routine that works best for you and stick to it. If you need some tips, we’ve got that covered too.