Have you wanted to get a water flosser? They could be a good addition to your dental routine if you use them correctly. Health.com explains that water flossers “repel food and bacteria from the crevices of your teeth using water pressure.” Keep reading to learn the pros and cons of water flossing vs. normal dental floss. 

Flossing

Using floss is one of the most surefire ways to clean in between each tooth. With proper flossing, you can help prevent plaque buildup, tartar, and gum disease. Flossing can also help your teeth look brighter and to help remove food that a toothbrush might not be able to reach. Oral-B explains that there’s an increasing amount of evidence that flossing daily can help protect against gingivitis, keeping your mouth healthy. Flossing should be a part of your daily routine to help prevent unwanted problems that can easily happen with bad oral hygiene. When combined with brushing your teeth, flossing can give you a clean, healthy smile for life. However, not everyone flosses as much as they need to according to these statistics from the ADA:

• 20% of people said they only floss when they need to or when something is stuck in their teeth
• 8% said they just don’t ever floss
• 55% say the main reason they do not floss versus those who do not floss daily is because it takes up too much time.
• 16% said flossing was too painful
• 9% claimed they didn’t because it was too gross.
• And 44% of people surveyed admitted they have lied to their dentist about how often they floss when asked

With those statistics, it’s no surprise that we all could probably floss a little bit more – but which is better? Traditional flossing or water flossing? 

Traditional Floss

Standard dental floss is one of the most surefire ways to clean those tight crevices between each tooth. With traditional floss, you can scrape it up and down the tooth to get an even more in-depth cleaning. Traditional flossing can be more time consuming than water flossing because you have to take the string of floss and go up and down between each tooth, as where water flossing provides a more simplified process. 

Water Floss

Pulsating irrigators, also known as water floss, is a handheld device that streams water to clean the teeth. Water floss can help reduce biofilm, plaque, and inflammation by spraying off bacteria that can cause infections, like gingivitis. Water flossers also have other benefits, as mentioned by Very Well Health, to be:

• It’s safe to use around dental restorations and dental implants: this is important because maintaining those restorations is important to ensure they last a long amount of time. 
• A easier, deeper cleaning around orthodontic gear: especially true with metal braces, it can be hard to get your teeth thoroughly clean when trying to maneuver around wires and brackets. When you use a water flosser, you can reduce greater amounts of plaque versus if you were to just floss with the traditional string floss. 

Which to Choose? 

When it comes to deciding, we recommend that you… use both! This may seem tedious, but your healthy mouth will thank you for it. Traditional floss works best to get those pesky food particles and debris stuck deep between teeth, however a water flosser can be best to ensure a deep clean around previous dental work, or when you’re just in a time crunch. By incorporating both into your dental routine, you will be sure to maintain a healthy, plaque-free mouth and not have to worry about treating gum disease or other infections.

Make an Appointment

Along with flossing, it’s important to continue going to your regularly scheduled deep cleanings. If you’re due for a cleaning, call Premier Dentistry of Eagle today to make an appointment at (208)-546-0655.