Is There a Difference Between the Waterpik and Flossing?
Based on the latest numbers, only 13.5% of Americans claim to floss daily, the other 86.5 % (who we’ll call the honest poll takers) have their dentists do it for them every 6 months.
Flossing is vital to good dental hygiene, but, is there a better way to do it? Which is better, a Waterpik or dental floss? Both options have proven that they can:
- Removes plaque
- Removes stuck food
- Prevents cavities
- Prevents gingivitis
- Cleans the space between your teeth and gums
But, according to several studies done by the *ADHA, using a waterpik or other oral irrigation tool, are more effective at removing plaque biofilm, removing 99.9% of plaque biofilm.
Oral irrigation tools are also more effective ways to irrigate pockets ob plaque between the sides of teeth and the inside of the gums, because they flush out bacteria without making the gums bleed.
In test group after test group, brushing and Waterpik-ing out performed brushing and flossing. “…Combined use of a Water Flosser with toothbrushing was as effective in removing plaque and significantly better at reducing bleeding and gingivitis when compared to flossing and toothbrushing.”
For people with braces, traditional string flossing is extremely difficult, we see a drastic drop off in flossing among patients with braces. trying to thread floss between each tooth, the added pressure between teeth and gums (which make it harder to get floss in correctly) and also cleaning around each wire and fixture is a dauntingly difficult task. The “Waterpik” on the other hand, has no problem cleaning between teeth, gums and even around the braces themselves.
Opinion polls also show that people enjoy using water irrigation tools and dread using dental floss. They don’t like the pain in fingers and gums, the bleeding, or the discomfort of manipulating their jaws and hands that flossing requires.
Therefore, the “Waterpik” is the clear winner. It doesn’t matter how inexpensive floss is, if people don’t want to use it. So, if upgrading your floss to a newer more convenient technology was enough to convince you to clean your teeth more often, it would be worth it. But, the added benefits of the Waterpik blow floss out of the water.