Do you hate to floss?
If you hate flossing, there’s good news! These days there are numerous alternatives to conventional dental floss. In this post, I’d like to share the most common 3 alternatives to using conventional dental floss. Different options will work for different people, so sometimes it takes time to find an option that works for you. Please note that wooden toothpicks are not suitable for cleaning in between the teeth. You will not be able to adequately remove plaque, and you also risk injuring your gums.
1. Water Pik Water Flosser (or similar)
This nifty machine ‘removes plaque from around the gumlines and in between teeth, helping to prevent and reduce gingivitis’ (source: Water Pik website). It isn’t cheap, retailing at approximately $150. It seems to be most effective in those who have a history of gum disease, which tends to leave larger gaps in between the teeth. These large gaps can be problematic because food and plaque becomes more easily lodged.
Phillips make a similar product called the Sonicare AirFloss Ultra.
2. Dental Flossers
Dental flossers are plastic holders with floss attached to each side. A popular brand is the Oral-B flossette, but there are many similar products made by other companies.
Oral-B flossettes are a small piece of floss attached to a Y-shaped plastic holder. It simplifies the flossing process because you don’t have to hold the floss between your fingers. It makes it easier to floss the back teeth.
3. Interdental brushes
These brushes have a small handle and a brush-shaped end which is used to clean in between the teeth. The brushes are placed in between the teeth and pushed in and out to remove any plaque and debris. They are re-usable. There are a great variety of brands of brushes. These brushes are a great alternative to flossing, but you do need to make sure you get the correct size for the space between your teeth. Also, if your teeth are particularly overlapped, you might not be able to find a small enough brush that fits in between your teeth. If the gaps between your teeth are varying sizes, you may need to buy one or two different brush sizes to adequately clean. It is important to use the correct size, otherwise you may not be cleaning very effectively.
There are many different brands of interdental brushes, of varying qualities. We like the Tepe interdental brushes as they are sturdy and come in a good range of differing sizes.
As always, prevention is better than cure! Don’t forget to get your teeth checked 6 monthly to ensure your teeth are as healthy as possible! Like you, we want you to have healthy teeth for life!
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