When should you floss your teeth? Do you floss before or after brushing? I have done it both ways and have found that I prefer brushing first.

Studies have concluded that as long as you floss at least once a day, that is enough. Regardless of what time you choose to floss, you still reap the benefits of flossing.

Benefits of flossing

•  Flossing removes plaque between your teeth, thus taking away a food source for bacteria to feast on. 
• Flossing significantly lowers your chance of getting a cavity between your teeth.
• Flossing helps prevent gum disease.
• Flossing helps with bad breath.
• Flossing could lead to a healthy heart. Studies have shown that maintaining good oral health may lower your risk of cardiovascular diseases.

The argument to Floss before brushing

• Some dental professionals advise that you floss before brushing so you remove all the debris between your teeth and loosen the bacteria between teeth so that when you brush with a fluoride-containing toothpaste, the fluoride can reach all surfaces of your teeth.
• Some studies have shown that fluoride levels remain higher in people’s mouths who floss first and then brush. This group of people also significantly reduces plaque between their teeth.
• If you use a water flosser to floss your teeth and use a prescription fluoride toothpaste, it’s best to floss your teeth first and then brush after. To get the benefits of using fluoride-based toothpaste, you should not eat, drink or rinse for 30 minutes after brushing. Blasting your teeth with water (water flossing) right after using this fluoride toothpaste will wash away some of the toothpaste, thus lowering the benefit you would otherwise get if you floss first.

So when should you floss? It seems to make more sense to floss your teeth first and then brush after, but you can do it whichever way works best for your daily oral regimen; the most important thing is to Floss at least once a day.