Water flosser

Portia82

Has anyone tried a water flosser? Any good?

I struggle with flossing but this is touted as being easier. Is it as effective as manual flossing?

I'd be interested to hear people's experiences. Thanks in advance!

Toothsmith

First thing to say is that nothing is quicker!

Time is key when it comes to cleaning your teeth, and there is no substitute for it, or gadget that will save you any, or toothpaste or mouthwash that will do the job any better than spending a good few minutes doing it.

Water flossers can be quite good if used in the right way.

If you are having difficulty with floss though, then there are various interdental brushes like Tepes and similar which require a bit less manual dexterity than floss, but will do a very efficient job more cheaply than a water flosser.

Might be an idea to have an appointment with a dental hygienist and let her/him spend a bit of time going over interdental cleaning with you and showing you how to use such things most effectively and sizing you up for the right colour brush depending on the sizes of the spaces between your teeth. There is seldom a 'one size fits all' way to do it, and individual advice is often well worth the expense of the appointment.

Portia82

Thank you for for that. I'll ask my hygienist when I go in February. I go every three months. For the first time ever I've been flossing every day. I use the finest tepe brush,as well as floss, but some of my teeth are so closely packed that it's difficult. I've been using an electric toothbrush on a timer at least twice a day too. I'm lucky that I've only got one filling (I'm 50), but I'm also concerned about gum health.

GlasweJen

I use one, some of my teeth are so close together that even the finest, waxed flosses fray and get caught.

I do 2 mins with the flosser then 2 mins with my electric toothbrush and my gum health is really improving. I did have gum inflammation when I first got it and bled like crazy for the first week but that got better when the inflammation went down. You'll be amazed at the rubbish you get between your teeth!

It's quite messy, you have to perfect the art of tilting your head and having your mouth open just enough to let water out without getting spray everywhere. My dentist is really happy with the improvement he's seen in my mouth since I started using it.

mellymoo74

I love mine.