When it comes to taking care of our oral health one of the best things we can do is floss regularly. Making flossing part of your daily dental routine can help get rid of plaque, reduce the risk of cavities, help prevent gum disease, and keep your breath smelling fresh.
In an article all about flossing dos and don’ts DenTek reveal that dentists generally recommend that you floss first, to loosen the bits of food and plaque around your teeth. Then you can brush and rinse to properly remove all that nastiness.
For a lot of people good old standard dental floss is the best tool to use to get in between your teeth and up to the gum line, but if that’s just not your thing then there are some great alternatives that are really effective at keeping your mouth fresh and clean.
1. Floss picks
These little tools are basically a mix of floss and a dental pick, so you get the benefits of two tools in one. At one end is a pick that you can use to remove bits of food that you can see stuck between your teeth, and at the other end is a taut bit of floss that’s often easier to use than a loose piece wrapped around your fingers.
2. Interdental brushes
These brushes come in a range of sizes and are made with bendable wire and bristles to really get in there between your teeth.
3. Water flossers
There’s a good chance you’ve seen these while scrolling on social media over the last few months, with people raving about easy they make the whole flossing process. They direct a pretty powerful stream of water between your teeth to remove bits of food and plaque, rinsing it all straight out of your mouth as you go.
So that’s 3 great alternatives to traditional floss that you might want to consider to step up your dental care routine.
But what about what you shouldn’t do?
It might seem obvious that you should only use things that are actually designed for the purpose to clean your teeth, but that hasn’t stopped people from getting creative when they’ve found themselves out of floss.
The survey reported by DenTek found that there’s a whole range of things that people have reached for in the past when they’re in a jam and need to get something out of their teeth. Have you ever been tempted to try any of these?!
- Fingernails
- Folded paper or card
- Thread or string
- Cutlery
- Paper clip
- Safety pin
- Earring back
- Strands of hair
There might have been one or two times in my teens when I resorted to a folded piece of paper to get some stuck apple skin out from between my front teeth, but I can’t say I’ve ever tried any of the other things on this list.
And honestly, the idea of using anything metal like a paper clip or a safety pin just sets my teeth on edge!
The DenTek report points out that the main problem with most of these floss alternatives is the risk of damage to the gums and the potential for infection from harmful bacteria. So while it might seem like a good quick fix, it’s just not worth it in the long run.
Your best bet is to keep your bathroom cabinet well stocked with floss and stash some interdental brushes or dental picks in your handbag if you’re heading out for a meal. That way you never have to MacGyver your way out of a food-stuck-in-teeth situation!
Disclosure: this is a collaborative post