Flossing

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skintz
Posts: 258
Joined: Thu Jun 07, 2007 11:25 am
Location: UK

Flossing

#1 Post by skintz »

This may seem a really odd question to those of you who have been brought up flossing(!), but i really can't figure out when to floss...(i'm on about last floss of the day, say, the 'nightly' floss)
Do you do it before you brush your teeth?
Do you do it after you've brushed your teeth and before you do your mouthwash? Or,
Do you do it after you've brushed your teeth and done mouthwash?

I know it probably sounds like the must stupid question ever, but i've never been told when to floss and only took it up when i got braces, but my orthodontist told me to stop(!) so i did...but now i want to take it up again :)
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purpleteeth
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#2 Post by purpleteeth »

I brush, then floss, then usually brush again - sometimes the second brush is with the proxyl brush though. Waterpick, if I'm going to use it, then fluoride (gel, prescription toothpaste, or rinse). My routine varies by time of day and or what I have eaten. Sometimes I floss right in the middle of my day, most of the time I wait until right before bed.
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lindesd
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I think its a great question

#3 Post by lindesd »

I think it is a great question.

I ususally rinse with m-wash, floss, brush and then use flouride rinse. This is just at night though. I do not have the drive to do this anymore than once a day. As a matter of fact, I skip flossing a LOT. I absolutely HATE IT! GRRRRR!


Stacey

Lisa65
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#4 Post by Lisa65 »

When I do a thorough job I do it in this order.

waterpik
brush
interdental brush
floss
fluoride mouthwash

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GiovanntiLawing
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#5 Post by GiovanntiLawing »

I think everyone has their own method, but I usually do the following below.

[Mainly because I'm a little anal about my mouth being clean. Especially after sleeping all night!! It feels, tastes, and smells horrible-- just like everyone elses mouth in the mornings..HAHA}

So I...

1. I Have to use MOUTHWASH FIRST!! (to remove the bad taste in mouth)
2. Then I FLOSS. To remove anything stuck between my teeth.
3. Manually brush -for the hell of it.
4. Electronic brush- because it cleans between braces better than manual.
5. Mouthwash again- Just to reassure myself that my mouth feels clean


This may sound a little anal to some, but I'm insecure if I don't think my mouth is clean or my breath smells, tastes, or feels funny!

Isn't brushing and flossing so relaxing?

This is where I get my thoughts together in the morning before heading out to work :)

PS: I repeat this process if I eat or drink anything!

So this process is done a few times a day!

Happy Flossing to all!
Giovannti. 26 years old with braces..

http://bracesandthecity.blogspot.com/

2nd Time w/Braces
Metal-First time 10 years ago
Ceramic-(Second time) Top Arch Installed 7/9/2008, Bottom Arch Installed 9/10/2008

Next Adjustment 11/25/2008

Word of advice: WEAR YOUR RETAINERS!!

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Thathrill
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#6 Post by Thathrill »

Wow these are quite the regimens.

I usually floss once or twice a day. I have some gaps so I would floss after eating as I hate things stuck in my teeth. But I normally floss at night.

I floss first, then brush my teeth, and follow up with fluoride mouthwash.
Brace date: 5/2/2007
Debanding date: 1/14/2009
Ceramic Braces: 20 months
Currently in clear Essix retainers at night

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Kjaere
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#7 Post by Kjaere »

I floss at night time. My dentist told me to floss after I brush. So I brush, floss, then mouthwash.

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diande
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#8 Post by diande »

At night I:
brush
floss
mouthwash and/or brush again

:D
Last edited by diande on Mon Aug 18, 2008 6:44 am, edited 1 time in total.
Upper and lower bonded retainers; Upper Hawley for night time

DEBANDED ON FRIDAY 15TH AUGUST 2008 - FINALLY!!!

Braced on 13 September 2006 - Ceramic upper and lower brackets - Estimated time was 12 Months

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Kat
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#9 Post by Kat »

I always do it at night. This way it gets everything out that's in there. If you do it in the morning everything sits inbetween the teeth leading to troubles later IMHO.
Pretty much the same here as well. Brush, floss, brush again, proxy brush do the mouthwash gargle and floride put the elastics on.
Also do the water pik but not always but I do always floss.
It's a must for future dental health.
Just think, once the braces are off it will only take a minute or two to do it then.
!!!FLOSS!!!

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skintz
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#10 Post by skintz »

Thanks guys :) I think i'll brush, floss and then mouthwash! I'll give it a go tonight.... :lol:
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lovelyleo
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#11 Post by lovelyleo »

i'm backwords I floss then brush....I know its supposed to be vice versa but my teeth don't feel clean the other way around

jaswi
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#12 Post by jaswi »

I brush, floss, then mouthwash. The reason being, brushing gets everything big, flossing gets the details that brushing misses, then using mouthwash kills anything thats left, and gets left on the teeth.

ArchAngle
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#13 Post by ArchAngle »

:shock:

floss then brush here. Seems odd to me brushing first then flossing. You're drawing all the crud out from between your teeth after you have brushed and just leaving it there. Draw the crud out, the brush it all away then mouth wash.

Lisa65
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Joined: Thu Jun 01, 2006 12:12 pm

#14 Post by Lisa65 »

I see it the other way round, though. If I floss with unbrushed teeth, I feel like I'm pulling "dirt" from my teeth into my interdental spaces with the floss. So I brush to get the surfaces of my teeth as clean as possible. Then I go round the brackets with the interdental brush. So all my tooth surfaces are "clean" except for in between my teeth. Then I floss, so in between my teeth is clean too. The final mouthwash flushes away any particles which might have been dragged out by the floss. :D

Funny how we're all different. To me it would just not feel right to floss before brushing.

cosmicgirl
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#15 Post by cosmicgirl »

I brush, rinse, brush again, then with the toothpaste still on my teeth, floss and TP brush - I read somewhere that the toothpaste acts as a sort of lubricant and helps ease out any detritus.
Rinse
Listerine
Elastics
Bed
ZZZZZ

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