Which comes first: the toothbrush or the floss?

I am not going to pretend that everybody flosses two to three times a day. If everybody did, I could be out of a job! The real question is for when you are doing the brushing and flossing. Which do you do first? Or does it even matter?

Out of habit, some people will brush first and then floss as an afterthought. That order makes sense as the brush will clean most of the teeth and the floss will get what is missed.

However, I always say you should floss first. This way, when you brush, the fluoride can reach every surface of the tooth. Otherwise, the fluoride won’t reach in between the teeth – where you need it most.

Another time, we may answer whether the chicken or the egg came first. Until then, just enjoy eating either one with your clean teeth!