Should You Waterpik Before or After Brushing? | NC Oral Surgery + Ortho (2024)

FAQs

Should You Waterpik Before or After Brushing? | NC Oral Surgery + Ortho? ›

If brushing your teeth before flossing remember that the food particles which are more difficult to remove will remain until you floss. Therefore, our recommendation is to consider using your Waterpik water flosser first before brushing your teeth.

Be sure to allow the water to empty from your mouth into the sink. The ideal time to use a Waterpik is before you brush your teeth. This is because doing so can allow you to remove food debris and plaque.

So sequentially flossing, using mouthwash and then brushing your teeth is the best order to follow for maximum results. But Dr. Catrise Austin, a dentist based in New York City, said she'd rather people regularly clean their teeth in any order than skip it because they don't know which order to follow.

“Rinsing the mouth with water before brushing will help keep the damaging acids and sugars away from your teeth,” says Dr. Rozenberg. She recommends taking a swig of water and swishing it around for a little bit before swallowing (or spitting it out). Then, wait about a half hour before grabbing your toothbrush.

Should I brush or floss first? Either way is acceptable as long as you do a thorough job. Some people like to floss before brushing to better ensure that any material between teeth is swept out of the mouth. Others prefer to first clean their mouth by brushing before working with floss between their teeth.

The rinsing action of Waterpiks may not be enough to remove plaque completely from the surface of your teeth. Some people like to use string floss first to scrape off and loosen plaque. A Waterpik can then be used to efficiently rinse out residue and plaque left behind.

Since flossing daily is recommended, using a WaterPik daily is also encouraged. Although you can use it in the morning, night usage is ideal. This is because typically, you'll go the longest without food or drink overnight. You've already had all your meals for the day and can end the day with perfectly clean teeth.

Brush your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. Clean between your teeth daily using floss or interdental brushes. Eat a healthy, balanced diet and limit added sugar intake. Visit the dentist regularly for check-ups and preventative care.

Unfortunately, they DO NOT remove plaque (bacterial colonies) like floss does because effective flossing literally “wipes” the sticky plaque off teeth and Waterpiks can only “rinse” these areas. However, combining both flossing and Waterpiks can achieve great results!

Why you shouldn't rinse your mouth with water after brushing? ›

The active ingredient in most toothpastes is a mineral called fluoride. Fluoride helps prevent tooth decay by remineralizing the enamel and making teeth more resistant to acid attacks. Rinsing your mouth can prematurely wash out the fluoride that is working on your teeth.

The Mayo Clinic recommends using mouthwash after brushing and flossing your teeth. However, the National Health Service (NHS) recommends avoiding mouthwash right after brushing, since this may wash away the fluoride from your toothpaste. Instead, the NHS recommends using mouthwash at a different time of day.

While it may be surprising, a study has found that flossing first followed by brushing with a fluoride toothpaste is more effective in removing interdental plaque than brushing first, flossing second. In addition, flossing before brushing results in greater fluoride retention between teeth.

Therefore, our recommendation is to consider using your Waterpik water flosser first before brushing your teeth. This will allow the stuck-on debris to dislodge and then you can easily brush the remaining area free of all particles.

Some studies suggest flossing, or cleaning interdentally, first is best. It's simply important that you do both daily and thoroughly. While the exact order of your 3-step oral hygiene routine isn't as clear cut as you may like, Listerine recommends brushing, flossing, and then rinsing with mouthwash.

Yes, the Dentist Knows

They'll be able to detect the plaque and inflammation between your teeth even if you brushed and flossed right before you went in for your appointment. If you haven't been flossing, prepare yourself for a friendly and concerned lecture from your dental care provider.

Don't close your mouth when you're using a water flosser. All of the water will need somewhere to go. As you're leaning over the sink, keep your mouth open so that it simply drips back down the drain. Try to look straight down into the sink instead of up toward the mirror, that way the water won't go down your chin.

Hold the tip slightly away from the gums to allow the water flow to remove plaque and debris.