Has your mom, significant other, or dentist ever reminded you to floss at least once a day after you brush your teeth? Flossing is an element of oral hygiene often neglected by patients. Bacteria, food particles, plaque, and tartar can settle between teeth and cause problems where your toothbrush doesn’t reach. But why do so many people floss after brushing, as a finishing touch. Have you ever thought about what happens to all of that dislodged food debris and bacteria? Perhaps you should consider flossing before you brush.
Importance of Flossing
Floss is slim, but firm, when implemented properly. Gliding it between your teeth at various angles can be an important part of keeping your teeth healthy between biannual checkups. When bacteria eats sugar, it creates acid. Bacteria then combines with food debris and acid to create plaque, the sticky biofilm that clings to your teeth and quickly hardens into tartar. This can mean gum disease and tooth decay after a while. Your gums might start to bleed when you floss if you have gingivitis or full blown periodontal disease.
Timing is Everything
Whether or not you floss in the morning or evening is up to you, but the timing can make the difference between bacteria laden particles remaining on your teeth or not. Though the American Dental Association (ADA) believes that it doesn’t really matter if you floss before or after you brush it seems to make sense that flossing prior to brushing will make for a cleaner and healthier mouth. Not only can debris be brushed and rinsed away with this method, but the removal before brushing will allow fluoride to better penetrate the spaces between your teeth to provide you with the best possible protection from tooth decay.
Visit your Downey Family Dentistry
To schedule an appointment with your Downey, CA general dentist, call us at (562) 472-2433. Also, visit our website for services, testimonials, and to learn more about our team. We proudly treat patients from Workman, Hollydale, Norwalk, Santa Fe Springs, Bell Gardens, Cudahy, and surrounding cities.
