You know that you should brush your teeth every day, but do you know when the best time to brush is? Or how often you should brush? Similarly, do you ever wonder if you should brush or floss first? Today, our team at Shelly Ereth Barone is happy to address questions like these.
Most dentists recommend that you brush twice a day for two minutes at a time. When you brush isn’t really important, though usually sometime after you wake up and before you go to bed. You see, plaque usually takes 24 hours to harden, and after it’s hardened, you’ll have to visit a dentist to remove it. This means that brushing twice a day will give you two opportunities to remove harmful plaque before it can cause a problem.
Similarly, it doesn’t really matter if you brush or eat first. However, some people don’t like to brush before they eat because toothpaste can alter with the flavor of their food. However, if you brush after you eat, please remember to wait for at least half an hour. After you eat, your teeth will be in a weakened state for half an hour. If you brush you could actually damage your pearly whites.
Finally, some people disagree over whether brushing or flossing should come first. Some claim that brushing first is better because floss can spread fluoride from your toothpaste into hard-to-reach areas.Conversely, other claim that flossing fist is better since flossing will loosen plaque, allowing the brush to remove more plaque. In the end though, neither is really better. You could consider asking your dentist for specific advice—though this issue is generally a matter of personal preference. In reality, actually brushing and flossing is far more important than the order you choose to follow.
If you would like to earn more, or are interested in scheduling an appointment with Dr. Shelly Ereth Barone, please feel free to contact us soon. We’re excited to hear from you at 504-832-1164.
