It is one of the most common questions in any daily oral hygiene routine: do you floss before or after brushing your teeth? Both orders clean your mouth, but there is a small difference that can make your routine work a little harder for you.
The short version is that flossing before brushing is generally the better order. What matters most, though, is that you do both every day, alongside regular dental check-ups. This guide explains why, how to floss well, and how to get the most from brushing.
Quick Overview
- Flossing before brushing is generally recommended because it clears debris so your fluoridated toothpaste can reach between your teeth.
- The most important thing is doing both daily: brushing twice a day and flossing once.
- After brushing, spit out the toothpaste but avoid rinsing, so the fluoride keeps protecting your teeth.
- Good technique, like using a gentle C shape along the gum line, matters as much as the order.
Below, we answer the question, then cover techniques for flossing and brushing.
Do you floss before or after brushing your teeth?
Floss first, then brush. Flossing before brushing loosens food particles and dental plaque from the tight spaces between your teeth, so when you brush afterwards, the fluoride reaches those surfaces more easily.
Many of us are also more likely to floss when we do it first, rather than skipping it once the mouth feels clean. Either way, brushing twice a day and flossing once a day is the foundation, and getting that habit right matters far more than the exact sequence.
Why flossing first works better
Your toothbrush cleans the broad tooth surfaces, but its bristles cannot fit between teeth. That is where dental floss comes in, lifting out plaque and more food particles from the gaps a brush misses.
When you floss first, you break up that trapped plaque and debris before brushing. Your toothbrush then sweeps it away, and the fluoride is free to settle into the cleaned gaps rather than sitting on top of leftover buildup. This supports better plaque removal, helps with preventing tooth decay and gum disease, and keeps your breath fresh by clearing the buildup behind bad breath. Regular flossing also lets fluoride strengthen teeth and the tooth enamel between them, where cavities often start.
Does the order really matter?
Not as much as simply doing both, and doing them consistently. The Australian Dental Association recommends cleaning between your teeth once a day and brushing twice, and flossing before brushing is the order it generally favours. If you already floss after brushing, that is still far better than not flossing at all.
In other words, the order is a helpful refinement, not a rule to stress over. Consistent daily brushing and flossing, done well, protect your teeth and gums and help prevent cavities. Flossing plays a bigger part than many realise: any plaque buildup left behind leads to gum inflammation and wider dental problems over time, so removing it daily keeps your teeth clean and supports your overall health.
How to floss properly
Good technique makes flossing far more effective, and it only takes a moment to get right. Use around 45 cm of dental floss, wound around both fingers.
Gently slide the floss between two teeth, taking care not to snap it onto your gums. Curve it into a C shape against the side of one tooth, then move it up and down, reaching just along the gum line where plaque bacteria gather. Repeat for each tooth with a fresh section. If floss is fiddly, there are other options: dental tape is broader and suits wider gaps, waxed or unwaxed floss both work, and floss picks or a water flosser can help if you find string floss hard to manage or have braces.
Getting the most from brushing
Once you have flossed, brushing is what delivers the fluoride. Brush for two minutes, twice a day, with a fluoride toothpaste, covering all of your tooth surfaces. Good daily oral hygiene also means using a toothbrush with soft bristles, since hard toothbrush bristles can wear enamel and irritate your gums.
An electric toothbrush can help if you find it tricky to brush thoroughly, but a manual brush used well is perfectly fine. One habit worth changing: after brushing, spit out the toothpaste but avoid rinsing with water. Rinsing washes away the fluoride your toothpaste just left behind, so skipping it gives you more enamel protection. If you like a fluoride mouthwash, use it at a separate time rather than straight after brushing.
A simple routine worth getting right at The Smile Workx
Flossing and brushing are the everyday habits that keep your teeth and gums healthy, and small adjustments add up. If you are unsure about your technique or want your oral health checked, we are happy to help.
To book a visit or ask a question, please call us on (07) 5300 2133
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do my gums bleed when I floss?
Gums often bleed at first if you have not flossed regularly, as plaque along the gum line causes inflammation. For many, gentle daily flossing settles this within a week or two. If bleeding continues beyond that or is heavy, it is worth mentioning at a dental check-up.
Is a water flosser as effective as regular floss?
A water flosser can be a useful option, especially around braces, implants or bridges, or if you find string floss difficult to use. For many people, it can work well, though traditional floss is still very good at scraping plaque off the sides of teeth. Either beats not cleaning between your teeth at all.
Can mouthwash replace flossing?
No. Mouthwash can freshen breath and, if it contains fluoride, add some protection, but it does not physically remove plaque from between your teeth the way floss does. Think of it as an optional extra rather than a swap for flossing.
Do I still need to floss if I use an electric toothbrush?
Yes. An electric toothbrush cleans the surfaces of your teeth well, but even the bristles of a good brush cannot fit between teeth. Flossing is still needed to remove food particles and plaque from those tight contact points, which helps prevent gum disease.
Is it better to floss in the morning or at night?
Night is a common choice, as it clears away the day’s buildup before you sleep, when saliva flow drops. That said, timing matters less than doing it once every day, so pick whichever fits your daily routine.
References
https://www.teeth.org.au
https://www.islhd.health.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/Health_Promotion/Live_Life_Well/how-to-brush.pdf