Which is better? water flosser vs dental floss

Having a good and complete oral hygiene is something simple to achieve and very important to carry out since the greater the oral cleaning the lower the risk of suffering from some diseases such as gingivitis, stomach diseases and even heart disease.

 

There are many options for oral hygiene, all of them being complementary methods such as brushing your teeth, flossing, a mouthwash and the water flosser.

 

We are going to focus on two of them: the use of the water flosser and dental floss. The dental irrigator is a device that works thanks to a pressurized water jet whose objective is to achieve a deeper cleaning in those areas that are more difficult to access and softer in the mouth such as the gum and the beginning of the teeth.

 

It is a method through which a more complete oral cleaning is achieved that leaves the gums healthier and that eliminates more bacterial plaque, reduces bleeding from the gums and further prevents the appearance of cavities and tartar, among other benefits. . One of the reference brands when it comes to water flossers is Waterpik.

 

On the other hand there is dental floss. A very fine rope that began as silk and that over the years has been manufactured in nylon, even finding dental floss with different flavors and even filaments. The main task of this method is to eliminate bacterial plaque and tartar in addition to preventing gingivitis and halitosis.

 

Oral health experts recommend flossing daily to remove food debris found in areas where the toothbrush cannot access. It is true that excessive use of dental floss can cause weakening of the gums so it should not be abused either. Flossing is often used as an oral cleaning option when eating out and not taking a toothbrush with you, although it is actually a complementary method to brushing your teeth.

Among professionals in the oral sector there is no unanimity of criteria when it comes to stating categorically which of the two techniques is more effective in achieving good and complete oral hygiene.

 

Dental flossing is a method that has been used for centuries while the water flosser has only a few years of life, although it is true that more and more dentists are recommending its use.

 

There are people who have the concept of using dental floss as a substitute method for tooth brushing, especially when eating out, while the water flosser is used as a complement to tooth brushing.

 

One of the reasons why the water flosser is used more and more is because those people with sensitivity or who have some type of gum disease such as gingivitis cannot floss while the irrigator can use it without any type of problem.

 

Studies show that flossing is 50% more effective than flossing in reducing gum disease and bleeding, and 29% in eliminating plaque.

 

Another benefit of using the water flosser is that thanks to the pressure jet of water that it expels between the gum and the teeth, it reaches areas where neither the toothbrush nor the dental floss can reach, such as the wisdom teeth or the space between the gum and the root of the tooth.

 

What is clear is that for proper oral hygiene you have to use the toothbrush daily, three times a day, together with dental floss or water flosser, using the latter once a day preferably at night and after brushing. teeth with the last meal of the day.

 

As we have already highlighted on numerous occasions, having proper oral hygiene is very important but it is even more so when you have orthodontics since people with braces are at a greater risk of accumulating bacterial plaque and developing cavities, and for this the most important method effective is the use of the water flosser.

 

This is because the irrigator accesses those areas that neither the toothbrush nor the dental floss can reach, such as the wisdom teeth or between the wires of the brackets. In addition, the water pressure jet of the irrigator, which can be regulated according to each person, allows food debris to come out more easily, especially in the area between the gum and the tooth, in addition to the fact that the irrigator reduces the presence of bacteria in the mouth.

 

The greatest effectiveness of the irrigator on dental floss lies in the use, especially in the first few times. While the trick to the use of the irrigator is taken, the only greater evil that may exist is that you put the lost water basin while with the floss the gum can bleed by exerting excessive pressure and generating pain in the gum.

 

As for which of the two methods is easier to use, we could say that the water flosser. This is due to the fact that the pressure that must be exerted on the gum and teeth is carried out by the irrigator itself thanks to the pressurized jet of water that it expels and whose pressure level is easily regulated according to each person.

 

While the pressure that must be done with the dental floss we exert it ourselves and for that reason there may be areas where more pressure is exerted than in others and it can even cause bleeding in the gums while with the irrigator the pressure is the same in all areas of the mouth.

 

Having said this, it is necessary to emphasize the importance of not conceiving the dental irrigator as a substitute element since for correct oral hygiene you have to brush your teeth three times a day and use the water flosser once, preferably after the last meal of the day.

 

One of the biggest advantages that water flossers offer is that they can be found in different types. Waterpik offers tank, portable and tap-mounted irrigators.

 

If you are a person who has space in the sink, the option of the dental irrigator with a built-in tank to fill with water is the most recommended and the one most used although it is true that it is the option that offers a larger size. It is plugged into the electrical current.

 

If you are a person who travels a lot, the most recommended is the water flosser , it is the smallest, it goes by battery and usually lasts from one to two months. And finally there is the option of the dental irrigator coupled to the tap, it does not need a plug or battery and the water pressure is controlled with the faucet itself, and it can also be coupled to both the shower faucet and the sink.