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Should You Floss Before Or After Brushing Your Teeth?

When you had braces placed on your teeth, our Orland Park and Tinley Park orthodontist and his team told you how important it is to maintain good oral hygiene while in treatment. While brushing and flossing your teeth well is always important, when you have wires and brackets on your teeth, it becomes even more important to be diligent with your oral hygiene. Food particles and debris as well as plaque can easily hide in all the nooks and crannies that make up your braces.

We also told you how important flossing is and that you need to floss your teeth at least once per day, preferably at bedtime. However, many people don’t know if they should floss before brushing or after. Therefore, we put together some information that discusses the benefits and downfalls to flossing before versus after flossing so our patients don’t have to wonder anymore.

Floss After Brushing Versus Before

Flossing at least once a day is ideal no matter when you choose to do it. However, there is some rhyme and reason to whether doing so before brushing your teeth is better versus after brushing. Some say that brushing before flossing allows you to break up some of the bacteria and food particles stuck in between your teeth so that when you brush you are better able to get hard to reach places clean with your toothbrush. However, others disagree and suggest that it is best to floss your teeth after you’re finished brushing. This is due to the fact that flossing after brushing will help dislodge any food particles or other debris left behind in places like the spaces between teeth, under the gumline and around your appliances after your toothbrush has done the majority of the work.

Flossing Well Is Extremely Important

Schedule An Appointment With Your Orland Park & Tinely Park OrthodontistEven our Orland Park Invisalign patients must be sure to brush & floss well during treatment. It’s important for everyone in orthodontic treatment to maintain good oral hygiene. If you brush and floss your teeth well while you’re in treatment, your brand new, straight and beautiful smile you worked so hard to get will last you a lifetime.

We are always happy to speak with you so please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about how to clean your teeth while wearing braces. If you are looking for an orthodontist in Orland Park, IL for your child or are interested in Orland Park Invisalign treatment for yourself, contact us today or fill out our easy online form to set up an appointment time. We offer a variety of treatment options ranging from conventional metal braces to Invisalign clear aligners.