My dentist told me flossing before brushing was a waste of time so I tried it for a month

Dr. Patel said the order doesn't matter as long as you do both. I dropped flossing after brushing for 30 days and my gums bled way less. She was right about the technique too - you're supposed to curve the floss around each tooth like a C shape. Anyone else get bad advice from a pro that turned out to be wrong?

2 comments

2 Comments

tyler61mo ago

Wait, does that mean I've been doing it backwards for like 15 years and just making my gums bleed for no reason? I mean, I'm pretty sure I've been flossing after brushing all this time because I thought you had to 'clear the pathway' or something dumb like that. Maybe my dentist was too polite to tell me I looked like a fool with all that blood in the sink.

veram991mo ago

Oh man, @tyler6 I feel your pain so much. I was doing the same thing for years and my gums were a real mess. Turns out flossing first actually helps get the fluoride in there better, which my dentist finally explained to me after I complained about the bleeding. Don't beat yourself up too hard though, it's an easy mistake to make and a lot of people probably do it that way. At least now you know and your gums can finally get a break.