From the corded version that lives on your bathroom countertop to the cordless one you travel with, water flossers are all the rage. HuffPost readers love to nab them when they go on sale, and they’re touted by many online reviewers as an easy way to get cleaner teeth. But water flossers can be a little pricey, and anyway, are they really necessary when we have (much cheaper) traditional dental floss?
In previous reporting, Dr. Bronwyn Hagan, of the New York-based practice Fitzsimons & Hagan Dentistry, told HuffPost, “Water flossing is great, but it does not replace traditional floss or floss picks. That mechanical debridement of your teeth and gums is important.” Multiple other dentists we spoke with agreed.
If you already manually floss regularly, then you may be in pretty good shape, water flosser or not. “If you floss with a string, you don’t technically need a water flosser, but it never hurts to floss a second time with the water flosser for a more thorough clean,” explained Dr. Michael J. Wei, the founder of Manhattan Cosmetic in New York City. Wei specializes in general, cosmetic and restorative dentistry.
You shouldn’t totally write water flossing off, however — it still has benefits. Dr. Lauren Becker, a general and cosmetic dentist based in New York City, told HuffPost, “Water flossers do a great job at removing additional bacteria, debris and food particles that brushing and flossing do not. I also highly recommend it for gum health, as it reduces the chances of gingivitis and gum disease.”
According to the Mayo Clinic, water flossing can be helpful for people with braces or other orthodontic work, like a permanent retainer that makes it difficult to properly use traditional string floss. Water flossing can also be useful for people with limited mobility who might have trouble holding string floss and performing the required delicate movements.
With this insight in mind, we asked dentists for their recommendations for the best water flossers, string floss and more. Below, see the items they say can help you look after your dental hygiene without wasting money on unnecessary products.
The experts consulted for this story do not necessarily endorse the products ahead unless otherwise noted.
A good electric toothbrush for thorough brushing
A good oral care routine starts with brushing your teeth, of course, before you think about flossing. Lieb specifically recommended a Philips Sonicare electric toothbrush “for thorough, effective daily brushing.”
Our pick — and the pick of many HuffPost readers, who flock to this toothbrush during big sales — is the ProtectiveClean 5300, which features a pressure sensor, three modes and a two-minute timer to help you optimize your brushing. The brush comes with two bonus heads so you can replace them as needed, as well as a travel case to take the toothbrush on the go. The battery life lasts up to two weeks on a single charge. Over 15,000 Amazon reviewers have given this toothbrush the 5-star stamp of approval, and with that praise plus a dentist recommendation, what more do you need?
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Some classic mechanical string floss
“I recommend traditional string floss always because it gets every crevice,” Wei said. “This one in particular is nice because it has mint flavoring, so it adds that extra freshness to your breath.” Lieb also named this Oral-B Glide floss as one of her recommendations.
Sold in a three-pack with a total length of 120 meters, the floss is micro-textured and can smoothly remove buildup and plaque from between your teeth, while remaining gentle on your gums. As Wei mentioned, this one is flavored to help your mouth feel even fresher afterward. It’s also so easy to toss one of these in your bag for when you’re traveling, since they’re so compact.
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A pack of disposable soft picks
“Choose floss for tight contacts and soft picks for larger spaces,” Lieb suggested, naming GUM Soft-Picks as her choice. Sold in packs of 50, the picks have flexible bristles that are softer than a toothpick and that can remove food and plaque in awkward spots (particularly useful if you have braces or other orthodontic appliances). The picks come in a convenient plastic carrying case to take with you on the go.
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A plug-in water flosser from a trusted brand for home use
“I typically prefer a corded option as opposed to a cordless option mainly because of the power and strength of the pressure,” Becker said. “Over time, I find that cordless water floss options lose their pressure strength.”
She added that she recommends the Philips Sonicare Power Flosser 3000 to her patients. This flosser has two modes and 10 intensities, with a 550-milliliter water reservoir. The flosser is designed to shoot out four streams of water to give your mouth a deeper clean, and the pulse wave feature can help guide your flossing routine. The flosser comes with an extra nozzle for when it’s time to replace.
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A portable water flosser all three dentists agree on
Obviously, it’s difficult to pack a bulky corded water flosser in your suitcase. While Becker prefers a plugged-in model, she said, “I do think cordless flossers are helpful when traveling to keep up with hygiene you typically do at home.”
Becker, Wei and Lieb all recommended Waterpik water flossers, with both Wei and Becker specifically suggesting the brand’s popular Cordless Advanced 2.0 model for travel.
“It is a bit on the pricier side,” Wei admitted, “but worth the investment for that extra thoroughness in your oral care routine.”
The cordless Waterpik’s battery can last up to four weeks before needing a charge, and a travel bag is included with your purchase. The 7-ounce reservoir provides up to 45 seconds of flossing time. There are three pressure settings, four specialty tips and 360-degree tip rotation to reach all the nooks and crannies. Water flossing has never been so easy.
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Some peroxide-based mouthwash to use in the reservoir
It may be called water flossing, but according to Lieb, you could benefit from mixing in an extra element for a boost: Crest 3D White Glamorous White Mouthwash. “I advise filling the reservoir with a 50/50 mix of water and Crest Glamorous White mouthwash to maximize cleansing and whitening benefits,” she said. The mouthwash “creates an effervescent action that helps lift away residual film and leaves the teeth feeling exceptionally clean.”
The mouthwash’s whitening formula is alcohol-free and claims to be able to remove surface stains in just a week.
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Floss picks for quick flossing when you’re out and about
“These floss picks are also a great choice, especially when you’re on the go and need to get something out of your teeth quickly, like in the car or after eating,” Wei said of the Oral-B Glide Scope Outlast floss picks. Similar to the Oral-B Glide string floss mentioned earlier, the picks are made of a micro-textured fiber and are flavored with mint to leave you feeling fresh and clean. These aren’t meant to be used for your whole mouth, given that there’s a limited amount of string per pick, but they can help in a pinch.
Water Flosser Tips
“Water flossers are excellent at rinsing away loose food particles, but they cannot fully remove plaque, the sticky biofilm of food debris and bacteria that builds up between teeth,” said Dr. Pia Lieb, a cosmetic dentist for over 30 years and the founder of Cosmetic Dentistry Center NYC. “Plaque requires mechanical removal with tools such as string floss, interdental brushes or soft picks. Once that’s done, a water flosser is a fantastic finishing step.”
Dr. Lauren Becker added that if you are looking for a water flosser to add to your oral care routine, you’ll want to make sure you’re not influenced by misleading promises.
“Just because they look trendy doesn’t always mean they’re effective,” she said. “A lot of design-centric models have been created in recent years as an effort to encourage consumers to purchase them. They’re stylish and might have great marketing, but they’re not as effective at cleaning the teeth like the top brands ([Philips] Sonicare and Oral-B).”
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