Brushing twice daily (morning and night) and flossing once daily (preferably at night) is the gold standard for at-home oral health care.
Brushing with either a manual or electric toothbrush works to clear the bulk of soft plaque (bacteria) from the tooth surface.
The purpose of flossing is to remove plaque from the hard to reach surfaces of teeth where your toothbrush cannot reach such as below the gum-line and in-between teeth.
The longer that plaque sits in the mouth, the higher the risk for problems such as tooth decay or gum inflammation.
Flossing can be tricky and tedious, however there are other options such as inter-dental brushes.
Please refer to the 'Gingivitis and Periodontal Disease' tab located under 'General Dentistry' at the top of the page for more information.