Is Water Floss Better for Your Teeth Than Regular Floss?

December 29, 2018

Flossing plays an instrumental role in removing plaque and food debris that gets stuck between your teeth that can contribute to cavities and gum disease [1].

Brushing simply can’t reach the tight spaces between teeth like floss can. It’s why the American Dental Association recommends flossing once per day for best results.

There are many products on the market today that can help you floss. People often find
themselves weighing the pros and cons of water floss compared to regular floss. Is there a verdict on which is better for your teeth?

Evaluating the Benefits of Water Floss

Water floss is a device that uses batteries or plugs into the wall in order to shoot a thin stream of water between your teeth to remove plaque and bacteria.

The obvious downside of water floss is that it does require batteries or access to a wall plug and can be difficult to take with you when traveling. It can also be difficult to thoroughly remove plaque whereas with regular floss you can actually “scrape” plaque away with the string.

However, some research has found water floss to be “significantly more effective” than using string floss when combined with manual brushing [2].

A pro of water floss is that it’s typically much easier to clean around braces. Some people enjoy using water floss, which in and of itself is a pro of the device since it could make them more likely to floss!

Regular Floss Is a Go-to Method

Also referred to as dental floss, this piece of string is thin yet strong. You can use traditional floss as a manual method to remove debris from between your teeth and maintain your oral hygiene.

Regular floss is simple, cheap, and effective at removing plaque. It’s easy to travel with and keep with you so you’ll never forget to floss at least once a day!

However, patients are more likely to injure their gum tissue with misuse or overuse of regular floss. This isn’t the case with water flossing, where it’s difficult to damage gums even with regular use of the device.

Which is the Best?

Flossing is essential so whatever type of floss will make you more likely to floss is the type of floss for you.

Some dentists suggest using alternative flossing aids if you have a hard time handling traditional floss but not to replace traditional flossing with water floss [3].

However, if the water flosser will make you more likely to floss, it can be a wise investment in your oral health. Keeping traditional floss on hand in the event that you’re traveling or aren’t able to use your water flossing is smart, however.

Flossing is key to keeping your smile free of gum disease and preventing tooth loss. By flossing just once a day, you can prevent serious problems with your smile later on. Although both water floss and regular floss have their pros and cons, whichever floss you prefer is going to be the right choice for your smile!