Your Woodlands dentists will always tell you about how important it is to floss. It may seem like an extra step after brushing your teeth, but did you know that you actually miss a good portion of your mouth without flossing?
But is it still OK to use traditional dental floss or is it time to buy a water flosser? We recommend either because something is better than nothing, but let’s take a deeper look at the two and how they compare.
What is Water Flossing?
At our Woodlands dental offices, we do love to talk about flossing and all of its many benefits, especially when it comes to regular dental hygiene care. Water flossing has become very popular among patients over the years. Even though it might seem like this is a recent invention, the first “oral irrigator” was actually invented in 1962, according to this article.
Water vs. Regular Floss
Your Woodlands dentists said it before, and we’ll say it again — whatever flossing method makes you happy and works for you, keep it up! However, there are some benefits to switching to a water flosser compared to using regular dental floss. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Dentistry looked at the difference between water flossing and regular flossing. As it turns out, water flossers were actually more effective than traditional strands of floss. However, another trial in 2021 found that using regular floss did have more advantages to help with the removal of plaque from hard to reach places where water just won’t work.
What Should You Do?
We find that patients say water flossers are just easier to use, and that’s 100% fine. Just remember that sometimes it can still leave behind stubborn plaque that loves to build up and hide between your teeth leading to decay or cavities. Water flossers are really good at getting under your gums, which regular floss might not. The end result is to do what makes you comfortable and what you can easily make a part of your daily oral health care routine.
We invite you to call any of our conveniently located dental offices in The Woodlands where you’ll find a fantastic team of dentists waiting to help you achieve your oral health goals.
Call us anytime or go online to schedule your consultation.
Dr. Robert Dernick (General, Cosmetic, Implant Dentistry, and TMJ)
Dr. Mike Freeman (General, Cosmetic, Implant, Sleep Apnea, and TMJ)
Dr. Alisa Reed (General, Cosmetic, Implant, Laser, Sleep Apnea, and TMJ)
Dr. Wade Williams (Orthodontics)
Dr. Nikita Vakil (General, Cosmetic, Implant Dentistry)
Dr. Leslie Blackburn (Pediatric Dentistry)