Dental Floss beats out the competition
July 12, 2009
A recent survey asked dentists what they recommended for cleaning between the teeth. As it turns out, the reigning king,
dental floss, came out ahead by a large margin, securing 64% of the vote.
The other popular choices were
Interdental Cleaners at 13%,
Floss Picks at 11%, and
Power Flossers at 3%. On their own, each of these products does a great job of cleaning between the teeth, make no mistake.
The thing is every person has different teeth, and certain products might be more suited to one person more then the next. For instance, interdental brushes, which are similar to
toothpicks but with bristles at the tip, are better suited for people with larger gaps between the teeth. And
oral irrigators, which spray a thin pressured stream of water, work well for people with braces. But Dental floss is more of a universal cleaner, effectively removing the plaque between teeth no matter the type of teeth.
Floss picks are a good alternative for those who don’t enjoy the flossing process. Floss picks like the
DenTek Easy Angle Floss Picks have a small strand of floss tightly strung on a handheld disposable pick, making it easier to reach and clean without any struggle.
Another easy, high-tech alternative is the power flosser. The
Waterpik Power Whitening Flosser for instance vibrates a small soft nylon tip at around 10,000 strokes per minute. This makes for an easy and thorough flossing experience that doesn’t cause damage to the gums.
However, most dentists don’t care which product you use, as long as you use one. The bacteria in between the teeth can quickly turn plaque and left-over food particles into the acids that cause tooth decay. So keeping those interdental spaces clean is a very important aspect of good oral hygiene.
Dentist.net has many different brands and styles of interdental cleaners, from
dental tape to oral irrigators to toothpicks. Check out
Dr. Tungs Smart Floss, which is cushion-soft and can stretch so that no spot is missed. Or check out the
Hydrofloss Oral Irrigator, which has a unique magnetic feature that reduces the amount of plaque!
There are many alternatives to choose from, discuss with your dentist which one is right for you!
