Floss, Brush, Mouthwash: What is the Best Order?

The best way to protect your teeth from cavities, gum disease, and tooth decay is by combining a daily oral hygiene routine with consistent professional teeth cleaning. Learn the best order to floss, brush, and use mouthwash to keep your smile healthy.

The best way to protect your teeth from cavities, gum disease, and tooth decay is by combining a daily oral hygiene routine with consistent professional teeth cleaning. Brushing, flossing, and washing your mouth with mouthwash should be a part of your lifestyle at least twice daily.

You can further optimize your oral health by doing your nighttime tooth care routine in a way that leaves your teeth the cleanest. Board-certified dentist Bella Pinkatz, DDS, here at Kew Gardens Dental P.C., in Queens, New York City, explains the best order to floss, brush, and use mouthwash to keep your mouth healthy.

The importance of a daily teeth hygiene routine

Your teeth need regular care between professional teeth cleanings to avoid a buildup of plaque and tartar on your teeth and gums. Optimal care for teeth includes brushing, flossing, and using mouthwash at least twice a day, in the morning and at night.

A good tooth care routine:

Prevents cavities
Lowers your risk of gum disease
Keeps your teeth whiter looking
Helps you keep your teeth for life

An effective oral care routine should be lifelong. You can start taking care of your infant’s mouth at birth before their first teeth have emerged, and they can carry the routine on into their golden years.

The best order to do your tooth care

Ultimately, the most important part of caring for your mouth is consistently flossing, brushing, and using mouthwash. To further enhance your routine, doing these activities in a specific order keeps your teeth even cleaner.

We recommend following this tooth care routine a minimum of twice per day, in the morning and before you go to sleep.

Floss your teeth first

Using dental floss before brushing your teeth brings more benefits than doing it later. Flossing before brushing helps you immediately remove pieces of food and decay that are hard for your toothbrush to reach.

Getting rid of these particles also improves the impact of the fluoride in your toothpaste by giving it more places to easily reach when you brush. You also strengthen your tooth enamel by flossing first, which helps make your teeth more resistant to decay.

To floss properly, move the floss several times between each set of teeth, starting at your gumline and moving to the other end of the tooth. Repeat this until you’ve flossed between all your teeth.

Brush your teeth after flossing

Brushing after you floss is the next step to removing significant amounts of plaque and tooth decay from your mouth. Choose a toothpaste approved by the American Dental Association to ensure maximum benefit.

Brush your teeth for a minimum of two minutes, holding your toothbrush at a 45° angle throughout. You can use an electric toothbrush that times the process or set a timer.

Use mouthwash according to your brand’s instructions

Some mouthwashes work best when used after you floss and before you brush, while others work best after brushing. Follow the instructions on the label of your preferred brand for best results.

A daily dental hygiene routine, when combined with other mouth-healthy habits like eating a healthy diet, quitting smoking, drinking lots of water, and getting professional teeth cleaning twice a year, sets your teeth up for years of good health.