"whatever keeps us from lying to the dentist again, right?"
Haha, exactly...I swear dentists must have a built-in lie detector or something. I was on the fence about water flossers too, but now I'm fully converted. Regular floss always made me feel like a clumsy caveman trying to thread a needle blindfolded—water flossers just simplify the whole thing. Still, gotta admit, nothing beats that squeaky-clean feeling after an old-school flossing session...guess I'll keep both around for now.
I've had similar experiences with water flossers—definitely easier to handle, especially when you're half-asleep in the morning. But I have to admit, I still question if they're truly as effective as traditional floss. My dentist seems to think they're great, but I've heard mixed opinions elsewhere. Has anyone else gotten conflicting advice from different dentists about this? Seems like every professional has their own preferred method...
I've wondered about this myself. My previous dentist was very traditional and always emphasized string flossing as the gold standard. He'd say water flossers are fine for convenience but not quite as thorough at removing plaque between tight spaces. Then I switched dentists after moving, and the new one is all about water flossers—she claims they're actually better because people tend to use them more consistently, which ultimately makes them more effective overall.
Personally, I've tried both extensively. Traditional floss definitely feels like it gets into tighter spots better, but honestly...how many of us really floss correctly every single day? I know I struggled with consistency before switching to a water flosser. Now I actually look forward to using it (weirdly satisfying?), so maybe that's why dentists are warming up to recommending them.
I did a bit of digging into some dental journals (yes, I'm that person!), and the consensus seems mixed there too. Most studies say traditional flossing is slightly more effective if done perfectly, but realistically most people don't floss perfectly or regularly enough for that advantage to matter much. Water flossers apparently do a good enough job for daily maintenance and can be especially helpful if you have braces or dental implants.
In short, it might come down to personal preference and consistency rather than any huge difference in effectiveness. If you're getting good check-ups and your dentist is happy with your oral hygiene, then whatever method you're using is probably working just fine.
"Traditional floss definitely feels like it gets into tighter spots better, but honestly...how many of us really floss correctly every single day?"
Haha, exactly my thoughts. Honestly, the best flossing method is whichever one you'll actually stick with consistently. I've seen patients who struggled with regular flossing completely turn their oral health around after switching to a water flosser. You're clearly doing your homework and your dentist is happy—sounds like you're already on the right track!
I've been wondering about water flossers myself...my dentist recommended one, but I'm still a bit skeptical. Regular floss feels like it cleans better, but honestly, I skip it way too often. Maybe it's time to give the water version a try.
