# Floss first? Or Brush? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 10, 2008, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floss-first-or-brush/472007 "2008-11-10T06:50:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Pel2na](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Pel2na](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pel2na)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floss-first-or-brush/472007/1 "2008-11-10T06:50:33Z")
Ms. 2na and I have an ongoing disagreement. She flosses first, then brushes her teeth. I. on the other hand, brush first, then floss. We are each convinced that we are the one following proper dental hygiene procedure and the other is some kind of nut. Any opinions? And rest assured, neither of us will change no matter what you say. ---
**Author:** ![phil417](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6bbea6/32.png) [@phil417](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phil417)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floss-first-or-brush/472007/2 "2008-11-10T06:56:10Z")
Is dental hygene the worst of your worries? If so, you’ve got a good relationship going. Love, Phil ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floss-first-or-brush/472007/3 "2008-11-10T07:27:56Z")
According to an old roommate who was in training as a dental hygienist, you should floss first, then brush. ---
**Author:** ![CAT\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@CAT\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CAT_1)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floss-first-or-brush/472007/4 "2008-11-10T07:40:50Z")
I prefer to Brush, Floss, Rinse. I think if I flossed first, brushing would just push stuff back between my teeth. When I go to the Dentist, and get my teeth cleaned, they clean first, then floss and rinse. So it is similar to my routine at home. 😃 \<\<\< Look Ma, no cavities! ---
**Author:** ![EpicNonsense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c37758/32.png) [@EpicNonsense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EpicNonsense)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floss-first-or-brush/472007/5 "2008-11-10T07:44:12Z")
So I guess no one uses mouthwash eh? ---
**Author:** ![CAT\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@CAT\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CAT_1)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floss-first-or-brush/472007/6 "2008-11-10T07:48:58Z")
> [@EpicNonsense](#): > > So I guess no one uses mouthwash eh? The rinse part of my routine is with mouthwash, not water. I am addicted to the stuff. ---
**Author:** ![EpicNonsense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c37758/32.png) [@EpicNonsense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EpicNonsense)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floss-first-or-brush/472007/7 "2008-11-10T07:53:16Z")
> [@CAT\_1](#): > > The rinse part of my routine is with mouthwash, not water. I am addicted to the stuff. Ya. I have the 2nd bottle under the drivers seat. I’ve always wondered if this can result in a DUI… ---
**Author:** ![Euthanasiast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Euthanasiast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euthanasiast)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floss-first-or-brush/472007/8 "2008-11-10T07:54:41Z")
> [@CAT\_1](#): > > The rinse part of my routine is with mouthwash, not water. I am addicted to the stuff. It’s called alcoholism. Really, really bad alcoholism. 😃 I prefer to floss first, then brush, then mouthwash. You would think we could evolve some kind of jaw system that would separate teeth as we opened out mouth wide enough. ---
**Author:** ![CAT\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@CAT\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CAT_1)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floss-first-or-brush/472007/9 "2008-11-10T08:04:14Z")
> [@EpicNonsense](#): > > Ya. I have the 2nd bottle under the drivers seat. I’ve always wondered if this can result in a DUI… Hmmm…are you drinking yours? I just rinse with mine. But I have noticed the stuff I use is 21% alcohol. Also, I just use mine at home so, I guess I am not as addicted as I thought. I do have my 5 year old rinse with it from time to time, and wondered if he might develop a taste for the alcohol. I bought him some kid stuff recently, without alcohol just in case. ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floss-first-or-brush/472007/10 "2008-11-10T08:29:00Z")
I asked both my dentist and my dental hygienist this question a while back, and they both answered the same thing: as long as you’re flossing _and_ brushing, you’re doing good. Do them in whichever order works best for you, just do them both. ---
**Author:** ![EpicNonsense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c37758/32.png) [@EpicNonsense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EpicNonsense)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floss-first-or-brush/472007/11 "2008-11-10T08:31:55Z")
> [@CAT\_1](#): > > Hmmm…are you drinking yours? I just rinse with mine. But I have noticed the stuff I use is 21% alcohol. > Also, I just use mine at home so, I guess I am not as addicted as I thought. > > I do have my 5 year old rinse with it from time to time, and wondered if he might develop a taste for the alcohol. I bought him some kid stuff recently, without alcohol just in case. No, I don’t _drink_ it haha… The actual purpose for having it in the car is if I’m in such a rush I can’t BF&R at home or if I’ve been out the whole day and have to meet with others. Whenever I come in contact with septic breath I feel like drowning that person in Listerine. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floss-first-or-brush/472007/12 "2008-11-10T19:25:28Z")
Floss then brush. Flossing dislodges stuff a brush can’t. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floss-first-or-brush/472007/13 "2008-11-10T19:29:20Z")
Brush, then floss, then rinse with mouthwash. ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floss-first-or-brush/472007/14 "2008-11-10T19:32:05Z")
I floss first, then brush. Even if I rinse - whether with water or mouthwash - I always feel like I must have food particles and plaque floating around the inside of my mouth if I floss after brushing. ---
**Author:** ![lunar\_elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lunar\_elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lunar_elf)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floss-first-or-brush/472007/15 "2008-11-10T19:35:54Z")
At night, I floss then brush - picks up the loose debris in my mouth. Then rinse with mouthwash. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floss-first-or-brush/472007/16 "2008-11-10T19:36:24Z")
I brush and then floss. And then I make faces at myself in the mirror and try to get my hair to lie flat, but that’s another story. ---
**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:** [November 10, 2008, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floss-first-or-brush/472007/17 "2008-11-10T19:41:02Z")
Brush, floss, rinse. ---
**Author:** ![Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glory)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floss-first-or-brush/472007/18 "2008-11-10T20:12:14Z")
Brush, floss, rinse - never had a cavity. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2008, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floss-first-or-brush/472007/19 "2008-11-10T20:14:10Z")
Floss, then a rinse and swish with peroxide, holding it in for a couple of minutes then brush and then mouthwash ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floss-first-or-brush/472007/20 "2008-11-11T01:55:29Z")
Jeez, you ALL got it wrong. The proper order is: Floss, brush, floss, wash hands, floss, brush, floss, rinse, wash hands, dry hands, floss, rinse, brush, wash hands, wash hands, wash hands, floss, floss, floss, floss, floss, floss, wash hands, dry hands, wash hands, dry hands, check stove, turn on stove, turn off stove, get into bed, get out of bed, check stove, floss, brush, rinse, get in bed, sleep. Hmm… one of those steps _should probably_ be “refill OCD meds.”