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.”
