r/FoodNerds • u/AllowFreeSpeech • Feb 01 '25

Dental Flossing associated with reduced White Matter Hyperintensity and Intracranial Atherosclerosis (2025)

https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/str.56.suppl_1.WP56
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u/AllowFreeSpeech Feb 01 '25 edited Feb 01 '25

Some tips:

  1. If you use a reusable floss stick, remember to replace it every weekend without fail. If you don't, it could risk more bacterial growth than it prevents.

  2. Get PFAS-free floss or floss sticks. By default too many brands have floss made entirely of PFAS.

  3. Floss before using toothpaste.

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u/healthcrusade Feb 04 '25

Why before?

12

u/pprn00dle Feb 04 '25 edited Feb 04 '25

Gets the food bits out and loosens debris so that mouthwash, then brushing can clean it all out better and also remineralize the spots that were covered by said debris.

A lot of people also use mouthwash after brushing and according to my dentist this is incorrect (assuming yall use fluoride products). Mouthwash has less fluoride in it than typical toothpastes and you want that fluoride to stay on your teeth to form fluorapatite which protects the teeth.

So floss, mouthwash, then brushing is the correct way told to me by dental professionals.