You likely are aware of how important it is to floss your teeth every single day. However, do you know about the differences between flossing methods? Here is how the following ways to floss are different from each other.

String Floss

The best way that you can floss your teeth is with traditional string floss. This is because string floss is able to completely wrap around each tooth in a C-shape to get rid of the plaque around all the edges. You must use the correct technique when using traditional string floss, which is to use a back-and-forth motion rather than an up-and-down motion. You'll also need to wrap the floss around each side of the tooth, which may cause flossing to take longer than anticipated. 

Water Flosser

Be aware that a water flosser is not designed to prevent a cavity from forming. They can reduce the chance of you getting a cavity, but that is not their primary focus. A water focus will help prevent gum disease from forming, which they do quite a great job at. This is because water flossers are able to spray water into the pockets of your gums, which can be difficult to clean with normal dental floss.

However, some people may be better off using a water flosser. These are the people that don't floss at home at all but find using a water flosser more enjoyable than string floss. While it's not ideal, water flossing is always better than never flossing at all. A water flosser can also be good for those people that have poor dexterity in their hands and physically cannot hold string floss.

If you have braces or a dental bridge, you may find it difficult to use a floss threader to get underneath the bridge or wires. If a water flosser encourages you to floss more often due to how easy it is, then go for it.

Floss Picks

Floss picks are disposable plastic flossers that have a short piece of floss between two ends. This is a good middle ground between water flossers and string floss. While a floss pick can help those people that hate flossing or have poor dexterity, the floss isn't long enough to wrap around your teeth like string floss. This will prevent you from getting your teeth as clean as possible, as you are limited to only being able to clean a portion of the tooth's surface. 

For more information, reach out to a family dentist near you.

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