Everything You Need to Know About Water Flossing

Dr. Firoz Lalani

Medically Reviewed By Dr. Firoz Lalani

Table of Contents

It is very important to brush your teeth two times every day for maintaining good oral health. There are certain areas in the mouth where the toothbrush is unable to reach. Experts at a dental care Houston suggest that it is very important to floss along with brushing at least one time during the day for maintaining healthy gums and preventing teeth from decaying. Many a time people do not floss regularly or avoid doing it even though they are aware that flossing is good for maintaining oral hygiene.

water floss

What is water floss?

A water flosser is an oral irrigator that can help in replacing traditional flossing. It is a device that is powered by a motor and a stream of water is released from its tip with a lot of pressure which can help in removing the debris and cleaning the area around the teeth.

According to experts at Houston dental clinic, there are certain flossers that have different tips that can vary the spray as well as the pressure of water for cleaning different parts of the mouth. The tips can be of different kinds such as a tip for cleaning the tip, a tip for using every day, or a tip for being used on orthodontic braces. A water flosser having multiple tips helps in enabling all the people in the family to use it hygienically. It is important to change the tips from time to time just as we change a toothbrush, whether it is a manual or an electronic one.

There are some water flossers in which you can mix mouth wash along with water which helps in enhancing your oral hygiene.

Traditional flossing

Water vs. Traditional flossing

The best dentist in Houston TX suggests that water flossing can help in pushing out the large amounts of plaque and debris, but is unable to remove the thin layer of plaque from the surface of the tooth. The traditional way of flossing allows you to scrape the sides of your teeth in the vertical direction using floss.

Water flossing along with using a toothbrush helps in improving gingival health. Water flossers are also good for cleaning the area around implants and metal braces cleaning thoroughly. Traditional flossing helps in removing the debris of food and bacteria.

As compared to the traditional way of flossing, less hard work is required during water flossing.

A complete oral health regime must involve all three processes regularly. This includes brushing of teeth, water, and traditional flossing for the best result.

Working of water flossers

Water flossers can be used for removing plaque and particles of food from the teeth. These devices are held in a hand. The device is needed to be filled with water before starting to use it. After you have switched it on, streams of water are emitted from it. These streams of water can be positioned in the mouth for cleaning the area along the gum line as well as between the teeth.

Importance of water flossing

People who find it difficult to use string floss which is the traditional way of flossing can use water flossing as a substitute. Water flossing is also beneficial for people having Parkinson’s disease, arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, or other complications involved in the hands who find it difficult to use string floss between the teeth.

 Advantages of water flossing

There are many advantages of adding water flossing to your dental hygiene regime such as

  • You can control the water pressure of the water flosser as per your requirement.
  • There are certain water flossers that are cordless and can be carried conveniently where ever you travel.
  • Water flossers are very effective in cleaning teeth that have braces in them as they do not have strings that can get caught in between them
  • Water flossers can be re-used and do not leave any kind of plastic waster after they are used making them environment friendly.
  • Water flossers are very beneficial for people who have undergone dental procedures as they clean the teeth very gently and effectively.

 Disadvantages of water flossing

Along with the advantages, there are some disadvantages as well.

  • As a water flosser requires a good amount of space, having a smaller bathroom may act as a disadvantage
  • Certain water flossers are difficult to carry as they are very bulky
  • A water flosser can only be used in places where there is easy access to water and electricity as they need to be charged.
  • A water flosser is on the expensive side as compared to a traditional floss

Water flossing is an effective way for cleaning the bacteria, plaque, and debris between the teeth. Before you decide on the method of flossing, whether it is water flossing or the traditional way of flossing your teeth it is advisable to consult your Houston dentist who will advise on the right kind of flossing after examining your oral health.

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