Water Flossing versus String Flossing
Dentist recommends a flossing routine once a day in order to improve dental hygiene. Flossing is important in eliminating the production of tartar which is an accumulation of plague that mostly cause tooth disease and disorders as it allows bacteria to breed in the mouth.
There are different approaches to flossing. The most common types, being the conventional approaches using string floss, water flossing and air flossing. Flossing helps you to remove food particles and plague which might have been missed during brushing, particularly in areas that are hard to reach like the back of the teeth and beneath the gum line.
What is string flossing?
String flossing is the traditional conventional form of flossing. This system employs the use of thin filaments made from a variety of materials like nylon. The string floss has grown into different dimensions, and now comes in a lot of variants. It would be waxed, unwaxed monofilaments and multifilament. The coated mono filaments though slightly more expensive than the uncoated variants, tends to break less, does not fray at all and it slides easily between the teeth.
Another variation is in the size or thickness of the filaments. In choosing string floss considers the amount of space between your teeth and chooses a size that fits the space in your teeth. With string flossing you have to learn the act of dexterity. There is a method to it and it affords each teeth individual attention. It is important that you floss the right way so as to get effective results.
A water flosser is a hand held device that shoots out a stream of water with intense pressure and pulsations to get rid of food particles and plague in the mouth which might have been missed during brushing. Water flossers are great for people with teeth implants, sensitive gum and braces who might find string flossing inconvenient.
Things to consider when making a choice between water flossing and string flossing:
• Price: The average string floss retails at anywhere between $3 and $20 dollars compare this to the average water flosser which can be anywhere from $30 and $100. There is a huge difference in cost. If you are looking to save money, string floss is the way to go for you. Definitely cheaper and offers the same flossing ability if not more than water flossers.
• Ease of use: String floss can be very uncomfortable and it requires a lot of dexterity and patience, if you do it in a rush and you might get a bleeding gum in return. It takes about 18 seconds to floss a tooth when using string floss however your whole mouth can be thoroughly flossed within 2 to 3 minutes when you use a water flosser. String floss isn’t a recommended choice for elderly people and children, water flossers are a better option.
• Quality of flossing: String floss is more effective at flossing because of the direct scraping motion and the individual attention paid to each tooth. Unlike as it is with water losers where the jet of water can only aim to push out the food particles and plague. Dentists are partial to string flossing on this account.
• Power consumption: The average string floss is non-powered but there are powered variants available, but most water flossers except for oral irrigators are bound to use to use some form of power. They are usually powered by either electricity or rechargeable magnetic batteries. Regarding power consumption, the string floss is more power saving.
Although a lot of users seem to prefer water flossing over others because it is more convenient, dentists still advocate the use of string flossing. Their advocacy is centered on the scraping motion which is believed to be more efficient as it offers direct contact to the surface of the teeth.
Although the water was flossing as been known to remove even biofilm, advocates of string flossing are still convinced that it does a better job of removing plague. But seeing that string flossing might be a problem for people who have sensitive gums, in fact, there have been reports of bleeding after flossing with string floss, which can be quite discomfiting.
String flossing is also not recommended for people who have had teeth plants, braces and even people who lack dexterity particularly old people and children. Ultimately string floss is the best recommendation; however water flossers make a great alternative.