# Dental hygiene question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dental-hygiene-question/89685>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 26, 2001, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dental-hygiene-question/89685 "2001-10-26T01:27:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2001, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dental-hygiene-question/89685/1 "2001-10-26T01:27:21Z")

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Every night (well, OK, almost every night) I brush and floss my teeth. Sometimes I Listerine as well. About once a week I use the Water Pik too. So here’s my question: What is the correct order for all of this? Typically I floss, and then brush, and then either Listerine or Water Pik. Am I doing it in the right order? Would it be better to brush first, and THEN floss?

It’s questions like these that drive me crazy.

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**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2001, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dental-hygiene-question/89685/2 "2001-10-26T01:35:30Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by MsWhatsit \*  
> \*\*Every night (well, OK, almost every night) I brush and floss my teeth. Sometimes I Listerine as well. About once a week I use the Water Pik too. So here’s my question: What is the correct order for all of this? Typically I floss, and then brush, and then either Listerine or Water Pik. Am I doing it in the right order? Would it be better to brush first, and THEN floss?
> 
> It’s questions like these that drive me crazy. \*\*

My wife (a Dentist) does this: (1) brushes her teeth; (2) flosses; and (3) uses Scope; and and (4) doesn’t use a water pick personally.

I guess her routine would _seem_ to indicate that you err by using Listerine instead of Scope. 🙂

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**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2001, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dental-hygiene-question/89685/3 "2001-10-26T05:56:17Z")

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An old thread that may be of interest: [Flossing: before or after brushing?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=39746)

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**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2001, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dental-hygiene-question/89685/4 "2001-10-26T05:57:57Z")

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Oh, for crap’s sake. Thanks, **bibliophage**. I swear to God I searched before posting this, I really did. …sigh.