Only a third of Americans report to flossing their teeth on a regular basis. And if you’re one of the 37% of Americans who floss daily, you have only won half the battle. Choosing the best floss and best dental floss tools can go a long way in improving your dental health! However, with so many dental floss tools on the market, it can be hard to choose the best one. This guide will help you understand why flossing is important and which are the best tools to pick.
Why is Flossing So Important?
Let’s get to the nitty-gritty, your mouth is a haven for bacteria and plaque. This gross and unwanted bacteria can lead to cavities, bad breath, and gum disease. Even if you brush your teeth the recommended two times a day, you are still leaving 40% of that bacteria and plaque untouched without flossing.
Flossing is the best way to remove bacteria lodged in between your teeth. Not only will it help prevent cavities and gum disease, it can even help prevent aging!Some doctors say people who floss look better as they age. This is because the structure of their bones in the lower third of their face doesn’t get eaten away by bacteria. So not only does flossing help your dental hygiene, but it helps you look young too!
Important Mistakes to Avoid While Flossing
Do you floss your teeth? Great, but it’s important to make sure you’re flossing correctly. Make sure to try and avoid some of these common flossing mistakes:
- Infrequent flossing – it is recommended that you floss at least once a day to prevent plaque and bacteria build up between your teeth.
- Not targeting the plaque – A common mistake amongst flossers is to just target food that may be lodged between your teeth. It’s important to scrape the surface up and down at least two or three times.
- Not flossing long enough – Just like brushing, flossing should take two to three minutes to complete. Anything less and you may be leaving parts of your mouth unflossed.
By flossing correctly, you should be able to see a visible increase in your dental hygiene within days. If your gums get a little bloody while flossing, it’s nothing to worry about. Most people bleed when they first start flossing. The healthier your gums get, the less likely they are to bleed.
How Can Tools Help With Flossing?
Floss is meant to get to those hard to reach places in your mouth that a standard toothbrush can’t reach. It requires a good amount of effort from you to get to those areas. This can make flossing difficult for people who suffer from joint pain or for children who are still trying to master how to floss.
Luckily, flossing tools can help make flossing a breeze for anyone. There are many different types of flossing tools, all meant to help make the process easier. If you are unsure as to what tool may benefit you the most, ask your dentist. After all, looking out for your dental hygiene is what they’re there for.
Choosing the Right Floss and Floss Tools
Now that you know how important this is to your dental hygiene, it’s time to find the best floss for you. There are hundreds of different types of floss on the market. That’s why we have narrowed it down to some of the best flossing tools out there.
Just like every other part of your body, your mouth is unique to you. There is sure to be the perfect type of floss and floss tool on the market, but it is important to know what you are looking for.
What Type of Floss Do You Need?
Choosing the right type of floss for your flossing technique can help make the flossing process easier. You can ask your dentist what type of floss is best for you or you can test the types of floss by trial and error. Here are some tips to help you choose the floss that is best for you:
- Super Floss – This type of floss is recommended for people with large gaps between their teeth
- Waxed Floss- This type of floss makes it easier to get between teeth with not much space
- Spongy Floss – This type of floss is great for people with bridges and braces
- Disposable Flossers – These disposable flossers help cut down on the mess
No matter your needs, there is a type of floss out there for you. So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to get flossing!
What Other Tools Can Help You?
There are several different types of flossing tools that can help you with your flossing techniques. You should choose the tool that is going to help you the most. Here are some tips to help you choose the perfect flossing tool:
- Floss Picks – Floss picks hold the floss in place making flossing much more convenient
- Dental Water Jet – Water jets use a stream of pulsating water to help remove plaque and bacteria from in between your teeth
- Interdental Brushes – These brushes can get between your teeth with no problem at all
Flossing tools help make the flossing experience easy. I hate how difficult it can be to reach in between my teeth at times, that’s why I love using these flossing tools.
What Are The Best Flossing Tools On The Market?
The number of flossing tools on the market can be staggering. Trust me, I was overwhelmed when I decided it was time to invest in proper flossing. For your convenience, we have broken down some of the best flossing tools available for purchase.
Most of these tools can be purchased wherever you buy your dental products or online. Some products are cheap, but less durable while others are investments that will pay off in the long haul. Here are five products that we highly recommend.
Glide Oral-B Pro-Health Deep Clean Floss
Pros
- Manufactured by a trusted name brand
- Very inexpensive
- A refreshing minty flavor
- More microtextured surface area than other floss brands
- Great for closely packed together teeth
- Natural wax for a stronger grip
- Helps prevent gingivitis
- Over 40-yards of floss per pack
- The thin shape helps prevent bleeding and pain
Cons
- Can break or shred easily
- Maybe too thin for people with gaps between their teeth
- Can burn your tongue if there is regular contact
- The smooth gliding may make it slippery
This product is a reliable deep clean floss that gets between your teeth to clean plaque and bacteria. This leaves your mouth feeling fresh and clean. Oral-B is one of the most trusted brands in the dental hygiene industry and this deep clean floss helps prove why. This floss comes with a minty flavor that leaves your mouth feeling like you drowned in mouthwash. This deep clean floss slides up to 50% more easily in tight places, making it a great product if you have teeth that are super close together. Since it slides so easily, you can count on this deep clean floss to get that nasty plaque and bacteria stuck between your teeth. There is a natural wax coating on the floss that helps improve the grip of the floss. Since the wax is natural, you won’t have to worry about potentially harmful chemicals entering your body. Many consumers think this is a great flossing option for its cheap and affordable price.
Oral-B Glide Pro-Health Threader Floss
Pros
- Very cost efficient
- Long length to reach hard to reach places
- Soft on gums
- Threader for people with appliances
- Each piece of floss is individually wrapped
- Effectively removes plaque and bacteria
- Smooth texture
- Very little clean up involved
Cons
- Can break or shred the later into the flossing process you get
- Can hurt to wrap around your finger
- Unwrapping the floss can lead to tangles
- No flavor
- Can be slippery making it difficult to grip
Here is another product by Oral-B. This floss comes with a built-in threader which makes it perfect for people with braces or bridges. This floss comes with a built-in threader that makes it perfect for people with braces or bridges. The threader will make it easier to reach under appliances. Some users with braces say this is one of the top options if you are looking for floss that easily threads through brackets.
This product comes with 30 single-use packets at a price that is tough to beat. You can get nearly a months worth of threader floss for an incredibly affordable price. If affordability is your number one priority, this might be the product for you. The product comes in single-use packets which is very convenient and leaves less of a mess.
The floss is smooth and thin, making it very easy to slide into tough to reach places between your teeth. Most customers note that the floss is very soft, making it very easy on your gums. The softness can help prevent bleeding and pain in your gums.
DenTek Triple Clean Floss Picks
Pros
- Comes at a cheap cost
- Comes with 150-floss picks per package
- The floss pick makes it easier to use
- Provides three different cleaning actions
- A textured pick that makes cleaning between your teeth easy
- A super-strong scrubbing floss that is guaranteed not to break
- Tongue cleaner
- A mint flavor that leaves your mouth feeling fresh
Cons
- Some users have had issues with customer service
- The strong scrubbing can hurt the gums
- A pointy handle that makes stabbing yourself a possibility
Many consumers praise this product because of its ease of use. The floss pick, which is a flossing tool I touched on earlier in the article, makes flossing your teeth a much easier task. People with arthritis in their joints will love this product as it relieves the stress that regular flossing may cause on your joints.
This product has a super-strong scrubbing floss that is guaranteed not to break. If you have tight teeth with not that much space in between, you need a floss that is going to be sturdy. Luckily, this product is thin enough to reach those tough spaces, but strong enough to not break while you are flossing.
This product also comes with a minty flavored tongue cleaner that will help you fight bad breath. The textured pick makes it easy to clean in between your teeth and will also stimulate your gums. If sturdiness is what you’re after, this may be the product for you.
WaterPik FLA-220 Power Flosser
Pros
- Cheap price
- The product comes with two-AA batteries
- It also comes with 15-disposable tips
- Provides 10,000-gentle strokes per minute
- Helps clean hard to reach places
- Ergonomic handle makes controlling very easy
- Uses flexible nylon tips
- The tips are soft and gentle
- Tips usually last 2-3 weeks
Cons
- Product comes with no cap to place on top of the tip
- Some users have complained about bristle length
- You must continue to hold the power button to use
- The vibrations can hurt your gums at times
- The product can be a little flimsy at times
- Not recommended for people with braces
This inexpensive product is designed to make flossing less of a chore and more of an enjoyable experience. It is powered by two-AA batteries that come with the product when you order it. It also comes with 15-disposable tips, which you can also buy separately once you run out.
The power flosser provides 10,000 gentle strokes per minute, cleaning between your teeth with ease. The nylon tips are soft and flexible, making it easy to get between your teeth even if they’re tight. Since the tips are soft, they are also incredibly soft on the gums.
Many consumers choose this product because it makes flossing easier. This product has an ergonomic handle that makes it easy to guide through your mouth using only one hand. It is easier to use than string floss, requires less effort and comes at a pretty cheap price.
Waterpik ADA Accepted WP-660 Aquarius Water Flosser
Pros
- A great investment
- Built to last for years
- Comes with a warranty
- Water pressure reaches spots string floss can’t
- Water pressure is soft on the gums
- Different tips for different purposes
- Can purchase separate tips
- Requires only a minute for cleaning
- Cleans around braces
- Can remove up to 99.9% of plaque
- Comes with a covered reservoir
Cons
- More pricey than other products
- Can be noisy
- Does have cords
- Some users have reported leaking
In my opinion, this is the best of all flossing tools. Truthfully, it’s likely the best flossing tool you can find on the market. It costs much more than the other flossing tools on this list, but it is very much a solid investment. This water flosser is built to last decades and even comes with a three-year warranty to protect you in case of damage.
This water flosser combines dental water jet pressure and pulsations to help clean deep between your teeth and along your gum line. Since it is water pressure, it is incredibly easy on your gums and you will never have to worry about bleeding. It only takes one minute a day to get the cleaning you need with this water flosser.
The Waterpik Plaque Seeker Tip is twice as effective at improving gum health around implants. The Waterpik Orthodontic Tip is incredibly effective at cleaning around braces and other implants. This product comes with five-unique tips, making it the perfect product no matter what you are seeking in a flossing tool.
What Are Some of the Similarities?
Each flossing tool we mentioned is unique in its own way. The flossing tool that is perfect for you is depends on your needs. One thing is for certain though, these five flossing tools are some of the best flossing tools you can find anywhere.
Cleaning Plaque In Hard to Reach Places
One common similarity you may have noticed is the ease in which these tools reach hard to reach places in your mouth. Believe it or not, that is most flossing tools primary function! While you can get the job done with regular string floss, flossing tools make things ten times easier.
Floss picks make getting between your teeth an easy and practical task. The power flosser and water flosser can reach between your teeth without you having to put in the effort of actually digging in there yourself. The threader floss and deep clean floss use small threads to make it easy to get in between tight teeth.
These Tools Make Flossing Easier
Another main attribute of flossing tools is the ease of use they provide. These tools make flossing less of a chore. By doing so, you are more likely to floss at least once per day as recommended.
The deep thread floss and deep cleaner floss make going between teeth and working around appliances much easier. The floss pick allows you to floss using only one hand without having to hold the floss itself. The water flosser and power flosser are electric which is an incredible quality of life upgrade compared to string floss.
What Are Some of the Differences?
While each of these flossing tools are designed to make flossing easier for you, they are also designed with certain purposes in mind. You might favor one of these tools over another depending on your need. That’s why it’s important to recognize what you want your flossing tool to do before making a purchase.
Different Teeth, Different Purposes
Depending on the type of teeth you have, a certain flossing tool might stick out to you. If you have braces, you have different flossing needs than someone with tightly packed teeth. If you have spaced out teeth you have different needs than someone with appliances and so on.
People with appliances may prefer the threader floss or water flosser over the other products. These make flossing easier. Alternatively, if you value sturdiness over anything else, you may want the floss picks over the threader floss and deep clean floss. These are thinner than the floss picks. If you are willing to spend some money on a product that can do it all, you may want the water flosser.
Affordability and Accessibility
Of course, price and accessibility are some of the most important aspects of a product. Sometimes you’re only willing to spend a couple of bucks and sometimes you’re willing to make an investment.
The price differences between these products aren’t too significant outside of the water flosser. If you’re trying to save money, you should probably overlook the water flosser all together. However, the other four products are cheap and come in large size packs.
So What is the Best Flossing Tool Available?
So now you have all of the information you need to make a choice that works for you. However, if you’re willing to fork over a little extra cash, the Waterpik Aquarius Water Flosser is the product that I would recommend. It makes flossing an easy, one minute process that keeps your mouth clean and healthy.
While it’s hard to go wrong with any of the flossing tools we mentioned, the water flosser simply does everything the other tools can do, but better. It reaches those tough to reach places to make sure your gums are healthy. A flossing tool should help improve and maintain your dental hygiene. And the Waterpik Aquarius Water Flosser is probably the best money can buy for this purpose.