I've been told different things by different dentists - some say once a day, others say it doesn't matter as much as brushing. What's actually backed by research? I have crowded teeth in the back which makes flossing kind of painful.
Once a day is the standard recommendation, yeah. Most research backs that up - the idea being that plaque builds up between your teeth and you want to get it out before it hardens into tartar. That said, the research on flossing is kind of messy. Some studies show it makes a real difference for gum health, others are less convincing. But dentists pretty much universally agree it's worth doing, especially between teeth that are tight together where a toothbrush can't reach.
The crowding you're dealing with actually makes it more important, not less, since food and plaque get trapped more easily back there. If regular floss hurts, try a water flosser - those are way gentler on sensitive spots and honestly easier to use when you've got tight spacing. You could also look into floss picks or those little interdental brushes (the tiny cone-shaped ones) that might fit your gaps better than traditional floss. The key is just picking something you'll actually stick with instead of avoiding it because it's painful.
Once a day is the goal, but even a few times a week is better than nothing if daily feels unrealistic with your tooth situation. Your dentist can probably recommend which tool would work best for your specific crowding, so worth asking them next visit.
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