Brushing And Flossing 101: Ordered Do's And Don'ts of Your Dental Routine

Skincare, body care, dental care - there's so much "care" a person needs to complete through the day that can drive us mad, right? A dental routine is e equally important as a skincare routine, if not even more significant because maintaining good oral health indicates keeping up with good overall hygiene. Hence, why do so many people repel regular oral hygiene? Is it because they don't know the right rules? Or because they don't know how often to perform the dental routine? Or perhaps it is because they don't know the basics of brushing and flossing?

If you are looking for the answers to any of those questions, we are here to unravel them all and so much more. Learn about the basics of brushing and flossing, understand the advantages and disadvantages of maintaining good oral hygiene, and learn about the benefits of doing everything in a particular order. Read on.

Brushing and flossing 101 - why do they matter?

First and foremost, before we start elaborating on the importance of sequencing the brushing and flossing procedures, we need to get the gist of exactly why they matter. Brushing, on the first hand, helps remove plaque efficiently and any residual food particles that may have been left on your teeth, gums, tongue, or mouth. Plaques and residual particles and saliva stick on your teeth, gums, and mouth, ruin your teeth, cause cavities and bad breath, hence with regular and good brushing, you help prevent cavities and promote fresher breath. Not only that but by regular flossing or meticulous cleaning between your teeth, you would be able to adequately eliminate any leftover food particles and plaque that the toothbrush cannot reach. What's more, with the help of flossing, you would also prevent gum diseases and significantly enhance your teeth's aesthetics by not having gaps between the gum lines.

STEP 1 Do: Perform a dentist's checkup

First and foremost, before you start any form of oral hygiene, it's advisable to consult your dentist and let him inspect your teeth. When your dentist sees the condition of your teeth and even performs an expert cone beam CT if necessary, you will know if you might need to wear braces or not. You will also automatically know how to approach your dental routine in terms of how often to floss and brush, etc.

Don't: Miss a dental checkup

By not consulting a dentist before the start of your excessive dental care routine, you may end up with a big, harsh, or too-mild toothbrush and not get the result you have anticipated. What's more, your gums might be too sensitive and perhaps you would need a milder fluoride toothpaste, or you might need a flossing tutorial, and similar. You can get tangible advice for all those things and more directly from your dentist, so never miss an appointment.

STEP 2 Do: Rinse in the morning

Using mouthwash in the morning is a great way to keep your teeth clean and fresh. However, this mustn't ever replace brushing or flossing, that's why it's advisable to add a mouthwash to your regular oral routine. The benefits of using mouthwash are many, but one important one is rinsing your mouth with a quality mouthwash to get the best results possible.

Don't: Only use the mouthwash

A very common misunderstanding is that using solely a mouthwash can help fight off debris and stop cavities from forming - wrong! As it may be advisable to use mouthwash in the morning and night, it mustn't replace flossing and brushing. A mouthwash is only effective in correlation with regular flossing and bruising, therefore make sure to combine all activities in synchronization.

STEP 3 Do: Floss before brushing

Even though many people tend to brush their teeth first out of habit, you would trigger far better results if you were to floss first. Flossing effectively gets rid of large and nasty food leftovers, especially large particles of food stitched between your teeth and gums. Later when you brush your teeth, you will spend less time brushing and get amazing results.

Don't: Forget to floss

If you happen to floss after brushing, no worries, flossing after brushing is still way better than not flossing your teeth at all. Since a toothbrush can only reach the front and back of your teeth, by flossing you can reach all the tiny gaps and crevices between the teeth. Flossing is a crucial step in your dental care routine, so even if you forget to floss before brushing, it's still better to floss afterward than not at all.

STEP 4 Do: Brush your teeth three times a day

Every dentist will tell you that it is extremely vital to brush your teeth before each meal, as this is too demanding for students in school and working individuals, brushing your teeth three times a day is enough. Hence, once in the morning, after lunch, and before bedtime. Brushing your teeth means effectively clearing out food particles from your teeth' enamel with the help of quality fluoride toothpaste. What's more, brushing helps you clear out all the nasty bacteria from your mouth and gives you a fresh breath.

Don't: Use a harsh toothbrush

Gentle floss will help you remove food particles, brushing will give a perfect shine and look to your teeth, and mouthwash will serve as a cherry on top. However, flossing can sometimes cause gum bleeding, which is perfectly normal from time to time, but then when you brush your teeth with a strong fluoride toothpaste and a harsh toothbrush this can irritate your gums more. Protect your gums by consulting your dentist and getting an adequate toothbrush that is soft enough for your gums but still gets the job done and cleans your teeth effectively.

Floss, brush, rinse, and then floss again - this is the perfect order for a healthy and meticulous dental routine. Skipping or reordering your oral routine is also not a problem as long as you perform oral hygiene at least three times a day. Consult your dentist for any additional questions, and be careful when choosing dental care products.

Mike is an Australian business consulting specialist. He’s working with companies that outsource their IT maintenance. He often writes about technology, business and marketing and is a regular contributor on several sites.