Water Flossing vs. String Flossing: Which option is best?
I know what you’re thinking, “Is flossing even necessary?” Here’s the short answer: “Yes.”
Daily flossing is a must! Here’s a scary fact to back that statement up: brushing alone cleans only 60% of the teeth surface area. Your toothbrush can’t possibly reach every surface of your mouth, so it’s important to clean the 40% it can’t account for.
Failing to floss can lead to gum disease, which in return, can cause other serious health issues. Now that we know how important flossing is, let’s talk about which option of flossing is the best.
Most people floss the traditional way by using string floss. But over the years, we’ve upgraded the floss game quite a bit! Some say water flossing is less awkward and more effective than string flossing, but how true is that?
Here’s the breakdown of water flossing versus string flossing:
It’s so easy to use
Did we mention how crazy awkward flossing with string floss is? People often skip flossing because of how tedious of a chore it is. Water flossers require the absolute minimum effort on your end without all of the awkwardness of trying to fit your entire hand in your mouth. Water flossing allows you to keep your oh so important flossing routine, without the hassle.
It gets rid of plaque
Plaque is a consistent nightmare that we can’t ignore. Every day, more and plaque appears and stays on our teeth until we clean it off. We’ve got to hand it to the toothbrush on this one; it does a pretty good job of removing the film of plaque. But, it can’t reach in between the teeth to remove the plaque and bacteria that build up there. Water flossing is proven to be superior to string flossing when it comes to plaque removal! By combining water and pressure, water flossers remove plaque and harmful bacteria quickly and painlessly.
It reverses gum disease
Do your gums bleed when you brush or floss? Then, it might be time to invest in a water flosser. The best way to deal with gum disease is to thoroughly clean away plaque each day. Because water flossers are so effective at removing plaque, it’s been proven that by water flossing every day, you can reverse the effects of gum disease.
It’s easier to clean around braces, implants, and bridges
It’s challenging enough to use string floss without having to get in between fitted braces or under dental implants. Water flossers have a specially designed orthodontic cleaning tip that aids in plaque removal from around brackets and wires, which means the struggle of flossing in between braces is finally over! Water flossers are also great for cleaning out the bacteria and plaque that tends to hide underneath implants or around bridges and crowns. Because of the pressure and pulsations that a water flosser uses, you’re sure to give your orthodontic hardware a thorough clean every day.
Although water flossers make flossing an overall better experience, it’s still true that any flossing is better than not flossing at all. And, if we’re going to be honest, we actually pick both. The best course of action for your teeth is to both floss with a water flosser and a string floss. It helps ensure you’ve gotten your teeth as clean as can be.
