Flossing, brushing and the use of mouthwash are all elements of a solid oral care routine. You may not have realized, however, that the order you perform your dental hygiene routine will make a difference in how effective it is. Here is the scoop on why you may have accidentally been reducing the effectiveness of your oral care routine.
- Start with Floss
The main mistake people make in front of the bathroom mirror is brushing before they floss. Why floss first? You want to get in between the teeth and loosen up all of the plaque and bacteria to make it easier to brush away. If you use a tongue scrapper, that should be done during this step as well. Whether you use standard floss, a Waterpik, or floss picks, oral health care starts between your teeth and under the gum line.
- Brush with Toothpaste
Brushing is the most obvious part of the cleaning process, but here is the part you may need to adjust. Most rinse their mouth out with water immediately after brushing. While you do not want to swallow any toothpaste accidentally and need to spit out the foam, do not rinse with water quite yet. Leave the coating of toothpaste on your enamel for an extra few moments to give it time to work.
- Finish with a Rinse
Using your mouthwash at this juncture, with the toothpaste residue still on your teeth, will activate the vital ingredients in both the toothpaste and the mouthwash and get you the best rinse possible. Be sure to swish the liquid around to every part of your mouth. Half a minute to a minute should do the trick.
One simple way to improve your oral hygiene is to perform your dental care routine in the right order. Your teeth will thank you for making this minor adjustment to what you may have been used to
