“Should I floss after every meal?”

Daily flossing is a big thing to me. Gets food and debris between your gums and teeth; areas that toothbrush bristles, might not reach. Can help with reducing cavities between teeth; along with a healthy diet.

It doesn’t hurt to do so.

Recent research has shown that you don't need to floss the spaces between all of your teeth every day - Just the ones that you want to keep

Hello, let me answer this in a few ways: 1) at a minimum should floss nightly before brushing. This is so important because saliva flow slows during the night. 2) if you have specific areas where food continually gets trapped, then it would be prudent to floss. Sometimes people are super conscious of such areas. Therefore, no problem flossing those spots. 3) since you mentioned having a history of cavities, another concern to consider is your daily exposure to sugar. Mealtime exposure is unavoidable. What is important to avoid is sugar exposure in between meals. The body needs to time to neutralize the acid produced by bacteria feeding on the sugar. Repeated exposure then doesn’t allow the body sufficient time to do so. The result is cavities. Eliminating cavities is the result of eliminating or reducing the bacterial population by brushing and flossing faithfully and not feeding the bacteria sugar. How ‘s that for a short answer?

Hi,

I have a very short answer for you: Simply, YES! You don’t want that food sitting between your teeth.

Flossing after every meal is perfect for prevention of decay and periodontal disease. If you are susceptible to decay, we recommend also using a mouthwash that contains fluoride. Oral B has one, or Listerine Zero/ Purple. Great job, you will not regret your efforts.

Flossing is helpful, but I always try to understand the “why” are you getting cavities, especially when cavities are 100% preventable. The only cause of tooth decay is acid. Removal of the acid through brushing and flossing is helpful, but tools such as a sonicare toothbrush and a waterpik are excellent tools to improve the removal of the acids. Hope this helps.

Sure, if you are at a higher risk for cavities, you can floss after every meal. Maybe you can discuss this with your dentist as they can take X-rays to evaluate your risk.
Thanks.

Floss daily. If you have a particular area that collects food, yes, clean that area after a meal. Discuss any areas of concern with your dentist.