You don’t have to floss

Yes! But you still need to clean in between your teeth.

There are alternative methods to cleaning in between your teeth than traditional floss! I personally find traditional floss time consuming, awkward and yucky. Even though I professionally stick my fingers in peoples’ mouths, it is not something I particularly find easy or enjoyable in myself!

There isn’t much about flossing that encourages us to develop the habit!

These are alternatives that I recommend to my patients.

Waterfloss

This is what I personally prefer to use for my daily oral hygiene. What I like about it is that it doesn’t take much time and it the mouth feels really clean after using it. What this basically is, is a pressure cleaner for your mouth and is beneficial for all areas of your mouth, not only in between.

It is a machine that you pour some water into its tank then it shoots strong pulses of water out of its tip, to flush away the plaque and debris off your teeth and gums.

I suggest to my patients to buy a waterproof and cordless one so that it can be used without mess in the shower. And it also will take up less bench top space. (I am a minimalist).

Interdental brushes

These are also highly recommended and have good scientific evidence for its higher effectiveness than traditional floss in periodontal disease. Interdental brushes are also easier to use and take less time.

One reason I don’t prefer it over the waterfloss is that it requires rinsing after each tooth. This is annoying to me because I either have to keep on turning the tap on and off or keep it running, and then because my hands get wet, the water runs down my arms and drips everywhere.

Flossettes

Flossettes are a piece of floss strung in between two plastic prongs with a long handle. I have tried these and do like them too. The biggest benefit of flossettes are how easy they are to use for back molars. You can place the floss in between the molars, then gradually bite onto the plastic part to push the floss past the contact point of the teeth. The problem of constantly needing to rinse the flossette and wasting water also exists however.

What I recommend

My number one recommendation for most people is a waterfloss. Interdental brushes do have the highest effectiveness in cleaning in between teeth, but I do not find it is the easiest and most enjoyable way. The key is to develop a habit of daily interdental hygiene, no matter what method is used.