# Brush then floss, or vice versa? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 16, 2003, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brush-then-floss-or-vice-versa/219249 "2003-12-16T03:23:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![wildcat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/439d5e/32.png) [@wildcat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wildcat)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2003, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brush-then-floss-or-vice-versa/219249/1 "2003-12-16T03:23:10Z")
What do you think? I think my flossing first, you get the junk between your teeth. Then, you finish the surface by brushing. By brushing first, the stuff between your teeth won’t remove. Trust me. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![wildcat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/439d5e/32.png) [@wildcat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wildcat)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2003, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brush-then-floss-or-vice-versa/219249/2 "2003-12-16T03:24:23Z")
That was my first post, don’t bite my head off! ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2003, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brush-then-floss-or-vice-versa/219249/3 "2003-12-16T03:38:49Z")
\*CRUNCH! -Bites the head off **wildcat** -\* That will teach you to posting in the wrong forum! 😃 Just kidding wildcat, welcome to the boards! Before this gets moved, I have to say that I usually floss first, quick mouth wash, then brush. ---
**Author:** ![wildcat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/439d5e/32.png) [@wildcat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wildcat)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2003, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brush-then-floss-or-vice-versa/219249/4 "2003-12-16T03:44:11Z")
Come on! Are you saying this isn’t a “great debate”?.. :-p ---
**Author:** ![barf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ba8739/32.png) [@barf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barf)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2003, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brush-then-floss-or-vice-versa/219249/5 "2003-12-16T03:56:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by wildcat \* > \*\*What do you think? I think my flossing first, you get the junk between your teeth. Then, you finish the surface by brushing. By brushing first, the stuff between your teeth won’t remove. Trust me. 😉 \*\* Thanks for starting this thread as I have had that same delimma for several months. Finally, something I can use. I brush, then floss to get what the brush left hanging. Then, fear makes me go one step further. I vigorously rinse with a mouthwash or water to remove the hanging stuff the floss dislodged. Do you think I got it a all? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2003, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brush-then-floss-or-vice-versa/219249/6 "2003-12-16T04:00:23Z")
**Moderator’s Note:** Move thread from Great Debates to IMHO, _then_ floss, then brush. ---
**Author:** ![porcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac91a4/32.png) [@porcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/porcupine)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2003, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brush-then-floss-or-vice-versa/219249/7 "2003-12-16T04:19:41Z")
My dentist told me brush, then floss, then rinse with ACT Fluoride rinse. Don’t buy Plax. Plax is crap. My dentist said that studies show it’s no better are removing plaque than plain water, and doesn’t even give out the free samples. ---
**Author:** ![LookitMe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7bcc69/32.png) [@LookitMe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LookitMe)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2003, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brush-then-floss-or-vice-versa/219249/8 "2003-12-16T04:38:03Z")
I brush first, then floss with Glide, then rinse my mouth with Biotene (alcohol-free mouthwash). ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2003, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brush-then-floss-or-vice-versa/219249/9 "2003-12-16T05:59:06Z")
First I do a quick once-over-lightly brushing, 15-20 seconds with just water. Next, floss. Then, full-length brushing with toothpaste. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2003, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brush-then-floss-or-vice-versa/219249/10 "2003-12-16T06:32:25Z")
I’m with **Gary T**. Quick brushing to prep, then floss, then a thorough brushing, (including tongue/roof,) gargle with mouthwash, rinse 2X with water. ---
**Author:** ![Blown\_Injected](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@Blown\_Injected](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blown_Injected)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2003, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brush-then-floss-or-vice-versa/219249/11 "2003-12-16T06:58:23Z")
Brush, floss, flush with Listerine, then Sonic Care brush, Listerine again. Although the chops do not get that treatment all the time ---
**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2003, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brush-then-floss-or-vice-versa/219249/12 "2003-12-16T07:02:02Z")
With the high speed Sonicare, seems flossing would not be necessary, but I do it anyway, first. Once the floss shredded between teeth and left thin floss fragments. The Sonicare vibrated the stuff out!