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Before or after? The best time to floss

WASHINGTON — Should you floss before you brush your teeth or after? Turns out there are benefits to both.

Dr. Edward R. Hewlett, a spokesman for the American Dental Association, says to floss first.  He argues this gets the more arduous dental health task out of the way first and therefore increases the likelihood of you actually doing it, Hewlett  .

However, Dr. Pilippe Hujoel, a professor of oral health sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle, disagrees. He says brushing first will allow you to spread the fluoride in your toothpaste to the gums when you floss, giving you a more effective, deeper clean.

Dentists recommend flossing every day to maintain dental health.

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