It's important to floss your teeth, both to remove food that might be stuck up there and to take out any plaque hiding between your teeth and your gums, thus rendering your mouth cleaner and your gums healthier. But if you really can't stand flossing for one reason or another – it's too painful, you don't like the taste, your gums are sensitive, your teeth are too close together – then you may feel like you're destined to forever have unflossed teeth. This isn't the case at all, however, due to the invention of the water flosser. So if you're wondering exactly how a water flosser works and how it can benefit your oral health, then here's what you need to know.

A Handy Device

Water flossers (also referred to as oral irrigators) are little cleaning devices that, as you may have guessed by the name, help you to floss by spraying a stream of water into your mouth. You aim the flosser between your teeth and around your gums and it helps wash away food, plaque, and other bacteria from your teeth, leaving you with a sparklingly clean mouth. It differs from regular floss in that there's nothing to throw away after you're done using it, but it's also not portable like regular floss, as the water flosser needs a reservoir of water to take from in order to work.

It's A Problem Solver

Water flossers are great for you if, for some reason, flossing is a major problem for your mouth. For those whose gums bleed or are super sensitive, water flossers are gentle enough that you won't bleed while still providing you with clean teeth and gums. Water flossers are also good for those with braces who can't use regular floss without shredding it on a bracket or wire. Even those who suffer from dry mouth can benefit from a water flosser; it removes that sticky plaque that builds up when you don't have enough saliva to wash it away and temporarily adds moisture to your mouth, preventing a chapped tongue and dry gums.

You Can Use Both

If you remember to floss most of the time or don't really have a problem with floss string, you may think that water flossers don't really have a place in your life – but that's not true. Water flossers are great for supplementing your flossing habits, as they can get at places that are just out of reach or at stubborn pieces of food (like a popcorn kernel piece) that your floss can reach but can't quite dislodge. While water flossers are great for those who have a problem with normal flossing for some reason or another, they're also great supplements for the rest of the population who wants to keep their oral health in tip-top shape.

Talk to dentists at offices like Crystal Dental Care to learn more about the benefits of water flossers.