Should You Brush or Floss First?
The truth is, the order doesn’t matter. The most important thing is that you do them both properly and after every meal, especially if you had something sweet and sugary.
Brushing Properly
Most of us were taught how to brush our teeth ever since we were kids. However, as an adult, are you sure you are doing it right? There are several things you have to remember when you are brushing your teeth to get optimal results:
- Choose a proper toothbrush. It should be comfortable to hold, but most of all, comfortable on your teeth. The bristles can either be soft, hard, or moderate. Heavy duty cleaning will likely require hard bristles. However, if you have sensitive gums, soft bristles would work fine.
- Brush each side of your teeth. Be sure you hit the inner tooth surfaces as well as the outer and the chewing side as well.
- Brush the inner side of your cheeks as well as your tongue. Leftover food particles stay in these areas and can transfer to your teeth.
Flossing
Even when you have brushed your teeth, you can’t guarantee there aren’t leftover food particles in your mouth. To prevent any cavities, floss daily. If you find it difficult to use good old floss, there are interdental floss that is much easier to use.
Use the dental floss in between your teeth as these are the areas that your brush won’t be able to reach and often where debris is left. If you want to guarantee clean teeth, you can always visit your dentist for teeth cleaning.