Flossing your teeth daily is a critical step in a solid dental hygiene routine. Today, more than 75 percent of Americans are living with gum disease, most of which can be prevented with flossing. However, with the many flossing options available it's difficult to know what to do to keep gum disease at bay.

Why Plain Old Floss Is Better

The regular floss you get from a dispenser is probably your best bet when it comes to keeping your teeth healthy. Floss works hard to remove food and bacteria between the teeth as well as around your gum line. The friction of the floss works to remove these from the tight places between your teeth where a water flosser would be less effective. The motion of flossing with regular floss is the only way to properly clean the sides of your teeth.

Many people who use water flossers have the misconception that if they use a higher speed on the flosser that they will reach the same places as regular floss. The truth is, higher speeds on water flossers actually do more harm than good. Highly pressured water streams aimed at your teeth and gums can actually drive food and bacteria more deeply into the gums, leading to the gum disease you're trying to avoid.

What Your Dentist Has To Say about Flossing

When it comes to thoroughly flossing, most dentists recommend regular dental floss. Water flossers aren't capable of completely reaching between teeth and making contact with the sides of each tooth and can't really clean below the gum line. However, while many dentists agree that a water flosser is an excellent complement to your oral hygiene routine, it just can't replace flossing regularly with normal dental floss.

Where Water Flossers Succeed

While regular floss is considered to do a better job of removing food between teeth, don't rule out a water flosser entirely. Water flossers are great at breaking up plaque biofilm which forms on your teeth. Brushing isn't as capable of removing this biofilm, and flossing can only break the film up on the sides of your teeth.

Water flossers also score major points in the area of convenience. Most water flossers come with multiple features, pressure settings, and different-sized tips. It's just important to remember to use your water flosser on a medium setting so you don't wind up accidentally injuring your gums instead.

If you have any questions about your oral hygiene routine or what may work best in your case, contact a dentist, such as one from http://www.childrensdent.com. They will be able to advise you on the best steps you can take to maintain your oral health.