Waterpik vs. Dental Floss

It goes without saying that flossing isn’t exactly everyone’s favorite thing to do, which is unfortunately why many people don’t floss. However, it goes without saying that if you want a healthy mouth, you have to floss. This is absolutely a non-negotiable.

If I have a waterpik, do I still have to floss?

A waterpik is a very cool device that adds some ease and excitement to your dental care routine. It uses a pulsating of water to expel bacteria from the pockets of your gums. So yes, they are a great addition to your bathroom counter, but can they completely replace dental floss? No. You still need it to clean between the tight spaces of your teeth.

Ideally you will floss to scrape off sticky film, get rid of food particles, loosen debris…and then use a waterpik to flush everything out. In other words, in the ideal world, you would use BOTH floss and a waterpik, but not just a waterpik.

Waterpiks are especially great for:

• People with sensitive gums
• People with active gum disease / gingivitis
• People with diabetes because they are more at risk for gum disease and will experience less bleeding with a waterpik
• People with braces, dentures, and other dental appliances

For family, cosmetic, and emergency dental in Surrey, please call us at Healthy Smiles Family Dentistry: 604-593-8201.