Metal Mouth Message Board

I recently read in a magazine article that it's best to floss BEFORE brushing your teeth so when you brush your toothpaste goodness can also get between your teeth. Makes sense of course but what do you all think?

I brush, then floss, then waterpick and maybe use mouthwash in that order. sometimes I add the mouthwash to my waterpick.
My thought on the flossing is, if I brush first then there isn't any crud that could get pushed down in between my teeth when I floss, so its all goign out and none going in. Probably me being paranoid, but whatever.

I waterpik, then floss then brush.

If you brush and then floss, what if you get junk out between your teeth,? Don't you want to brush the crud away again?

I brushed the other day and had forgotten to use the waterpik. You wouldn't believe the amount of junk the brushing left behind. Incredible.

My nightly ritual is:

Brush
Floss
Mouthrinse

Yep I have to admit I floss after brushing also.

Now a braces wearer probably shouldn't be asking this but what do you all mean by an interdental brush??

It's all personal preference.

Sometimes it's better to rinse well, floss, and then brush -- because then all the little food particles are gone by the time you brush.

That's the way I used to do it.

Floss

Brush

Listerine

Current routine:

Waterpik (big pieces removal)
Floss (smaller pieces removal)
Brush (Oral B Sonic Complete)
Mouthwash
Listerine Vanilla Mint at Breakfast and Lunch
Reach ACT restoring mouthwash at Dinner

Brush again before bed.

At first I was flossing after I brushed but then started to find food packed between my molars on occasion. My thought is if the food was packed in there then my toothpaste probably wasn't getting in there.

For the length of time and the amount of money we are spending on my braces, I want to make sure I keep my teeth as clean as possible. My dental health was not very good as a young adult and I consider this my turning point.

Cheers,

Ice.

P.S. I used to use interproximal brushes but the waterpik has made those all but obselete for me.

Heres my night routine:

remove wax (hehe)
floss with crest glide "threader floss"
brush
ACT

I brush after every meal, and I waterpik if I have big stuff stuck in there.

Kriz

During the day, after meals, I:

Swish and rinse several times with water;
Get rid of any stubbon bits of food with my interdental brush; and
Brush

At night, I:

Swish and rinse several times with water;
Get rid of any stubbon bits of food with my interdental brush;
Brush my gums;
Brush my teeth;
Brush under the wires with my interdental;
Rinse;
Floss (my least favourite part- I never knew so much saliva could come out of my mouth in 10 minutes); and
Elastic myself up!

On Sundays I rinse with Colgate NeutraFluor 900.

Thanks, Kiwi, now I understand why I have no idea what a water pik is, being an Aussie! My interdental does the job for me, and I'm pretty happy.

My main routine (before bed)

1 Waterpik (just bought this last week, what a FABULOUS invention, its great for cleaning under the nance button too)
2 Floss
3 Interdental
4 Brush with sonicare toothbrush
5 Fluoride mouthwash

In the mornings I just brush with manual toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste and if I eat lunch (which I often don't) I will use the Waterpik and brush again with manual toothbrush.

Brush

floss


waterpick

Morning:
Rinse with plain water
Brush with regular toothpaste

Snacks/lunch:
Depends on where I am and what I eat. Usually rinse, sometimes brush with regular toothpaste

Nightly routine:
Rinse with plain water
Floss
Interdental
Rinse with plain water
Brush with prescription flouride toothpaste
~~ wait at least 30 mins, and if still awake....
Rinse with saltwater

FLOSS

BRUSH

MOUTHWASH (AM) OR BRUSH WITH COLGATE PREVIDENT FLUORIDE GEL (PM)



MY DENTIST'S OFFICE ALWAYS TOLD ME TO FLOSS FIRST THEN TO BRUSH TO GET THE CRUD OFF LIKE THAT...GUESS IT'S WHATEVER FLOATS YOUR BOAT AS LONG AS IT WORKS! LOL

OK...ON INTERDENTAL BRUSHES...HOW OFTEN DO YOU USE THEM AND HOW DO YOU USE THEM...I WAS KINDA LEFT IN THE DARK ON THEM.

Sorry about the all caps, everything here in law enforcement has to be in them and after about 5 years of it straight I tend to forget to turn them off! I still do it in my homework sometimes for school, hehe got the same reaction from the instructor ....

But anyways, thanks for the info! I had received one other portable interdental brushes from my ortho, but I think they were in a big hurry that morning and forgot to tell me what they were for. Thanks so much!