A practitioner of General Dentistry in Mequon WI wants patients to floss every day, while also realizing that a large number of them do not. Some floss every few days, some once a week, and others not at all. A person who dislikes flossing for one reason or another may wonder if there are any alternatives that are just as effective.
Interdental Brushes
Interdental brushes have a bristled flossing head attached to a handle. The bristles are inserted between the teeth to remove food particles and sticky plaque. Because of the handle, the device is easier to use than floss wrapped around fingers. There also is much less waste because the bristles can be washed off, just as people do with the bristles on a toothbrush. Eventually, those bristles wear out or bend, and the device must be replaced.
Dental Picks
Soft dental picks also can be purchased to use instead of floss. These also have a handle, but the top is more like a flexible toothpick than a brush. Similar devices sometimes are added to the bottom of a toothbrush in the form of a small rubber pick. The toothbrush feature is much more difficult to find in stores than was the case several decades ago.
Oral Irrigators
Oral irrigators remove food particles but are not effective at eliminating sticky plaque. This requires a material that actually scrapes the substance off, which is what floss is designed to do. Toothpicks actually are better than oral irrigators at removing plaque and they also allow people to carefully pick out food particles. Yet they are no substitute for floss.
Devices That Should Be Avoided
Several devices can be used to remove food from between teeth when floss is not available, but a practitioner of General Dentistry in Mequon WI would advise against most of them. They also are ineffective compared with floss. People are advised against using the edge of a credit card or business card, the end of a ballpoint pen cap or a plastic straw. Anyone with questions about these possibilities may Contact Mequon Smile Design to schedule an exam and professional teeth cleaning.
