What Are the Benefits of Flossing with Water?

Flossing with water is a relatively new way to remove plaque and clean between teeth. The device that dispenses water is referred to either as a water pick or water jet. Once water jets were only used in professional dental offices, but are now available for home use as well. Flossing with water has four distinct benefits when compared with traditional string flossing. These include a quick application time, easy application process, less irritation to gums and they are perfect for people with braces.

One of the best aspects of flossing with water is that the process is significantly quicker than with normal string floss. In fact, individuals can floss all of their teeth in approximately one minute with a water jet. String floss is a more involved process that often takes several minutes to reach all teeth. The time consuming nature of string floss is usually what prevents many people from flossing as consistently as they should.

Another advantage is the easy application process. Many people avoid flossing with string floss because of how tedious it can be. Getting in between all sets of teeth can be quite arduous, especially when it comes to the back of the mouth. Flossing with water is much simpler and lets the water stream do all the work. The only required action is simply holding the device in place and guiding it over the teeth.

Less irritation to the gums is another reason why many people prefer using a water jet. Flossing with water is particularly helpful for individuals suffering from sensitive gums or gingivitis. This is because using normal string floss is known to irritate gums and sometimes causes bleeding. Using water instead significantly reduces irritation and makes flossing much more comfortable. In the long run, this option results in overall healthier gums.

An added benefit is that flossing with water is usually ideal for people with braces. Using normal string floss is incredibly difficult for individuals with orthodontics. In most cases, it requires a special tool to loop underneath the metal wires between teeth. As a result, it takes even longer to reach each tooth and achieve a thorough cleaning.

Water flossing makes this process dramatically easier. Using a water stream allows those who wear braces to get into all the nooks and crannies that would otherwise be extremely difficult to reach. That's why flossing with water seems to be the natural choice for people with orthodontics.