Health gem

If you do one thing this week . . . brush before you floss

We all know that keeping our teeth clean is important. That’s a given.

Brushing is the obvious task, and for many people it’s ingrained into the daily routine. But what about flossing?

Even after a couple of weeks, flossing can reduce the microbes associated with periodontal disease and dental caries, according to a US study of 51 pairs of twins.

Published in the Journal of Periodontologyin 2008 by researchers from academia and industry, it found that adding flossing to tooth and tongue brushing appeared to help tip the balance of bugs in the mouth.

In practice, all that sliding and gliding between the teeth may seem like hard work, but here’s a tip: floss your teeth before you brush them, because after your brush it’s too tempting to think you are finished.