A common question that patients ask their dentists is, “Which should I do first, brush or floss?”

The sequence makes no difference as long as you do a thorough job. Brushing and flossing is the best way to remove decay-causing plaque from your teeth and help maintain optimal oral health.
It has also been recently reported that only four out of 10 Americans floss on a daily basis. Also, about 20 percent of Americans never bother to floss at all. However, this is one of the most important health habits to develop. The benefits of regular flossing are undeniable. For example, not flossing is one of the main causes of gum disease. If you floss regularly, you can easily avoid developing this oral health issue. If you currently suffer from gum disease and continue to skip flossing, chances are you will start to lose teeth and develop significant cavities.

You wouldn’t go a day without brushing…

If you are like most people, you don’t go a single day without brushing your teeth. You need to have the same attitude toward flossing. When you floss, at least once a day, you can help remove plaque (which is a sticky, bacteria-laden film) from hard to reach places in your mouth. Removing that bacteria not only helps your teeth and gums, it also helps you prevent or manage heart disease, diabetes, and other inflammatory illnesses that effect your entire body.