It should go without saying, but brushing, flossing, and using mouthwash are pretty essential. Each performs a unique function and plays an important role in proper oral hygiene. However, dentists say that when you perform each part of the routine matters—not just for the health of your teeth and gums, but for effectively removing plaque, maintaining fresh breath, and contributing to your overall wellbeing. After all, the mouth is the gateway to the respiratory tract, and oral hygiene has been linked to conditions such as cardiovascular disease and pneumonia.
Brushing is meant to remove food, tartar, bacteria, and plaque from the teeth and gums. It should be done after every meal—or, at the very least, twice a day. Mouthwash, on the other hand, can provide antimicrobial and re-mineralizing benefits, and should be used after brushing. Most experts recommend using mouthwash two to three times a day and waiting a bit after brushing if your toothpaste contains fluoride. (Fluoride is most effective at strengthening enamel when it’s left on the teeth for 30 minutes; using mouthwash too soon could wash it away before it does its thing.)
This leaves dental floss—the trickiest and most time-consuming element in the oral hygiene routine. Let’s face it: Most people can get kind of lazy about flossing, and many often “forget” to do it altogether. But flossing is super important, whether you use a water flosser or good-old-fashioned unwaxed thread floss. Not only does flossing remove debris and plaque from the places brushing can’t reach, but it prevents cavities and gum disease.
If that’s not enough to convince you to floss, maybe embarrassment will: Flossing is one of the most effective ways to prevent bad breath. Below, a dentist’s advice on the best time to floss and how many times a day are ideal.
The best time to floss
Good news: “Flossing once a day is enough,” says Dr. Beatriz de Tapia, PhD in dentistry and a specialist in periodontics and implants. This is reassuring, because it means it’s not necessary to floss as often as you brush to ensure proper oral hygiene. (Of course, you still need to brush and, ideally, use mouthwash.)
Even better, the most effective time to floss is actually when most of us also have the most time: the evening. “Ideally, we should floss at night before bed,” says de Tapia. “When we sleep, saliva production decreases, and this increases the risk of cavities,” she explains.
