Honestly, I’m right there with you—those little floss strings from the dollar store are like a game of dental roulette. Sometimes they glide, sometimes they turn into confetti between my teeth. I tried splurging on the “fancy” kind once and felt like I was flossing with silk... but then I saw the price tag and nearly lost a tooth from shock.
I get super anxious about dentist visits (first time last month—sweaty palms, heart racing, the whole deal), so I was convinced my bargain floss routine would be called out. Turns out, my dentist was more interested in my actual flossing habit than the brand. She said as long as you’re gentle and consistent, it’s way better than not flossing at all. Made me feel a bit better about my off-brand approach.
Honestly, if your dentist isn’t complaining and your gums aren’t staging a protest, you’re probably doing just fine. The real challenge is remembering to actually floss every night... that’s where I keep failing.
I totally get wanting to save a few bucks, but I’ve actually seen some folks get tiny cuts or even snap their dollar store floss and end up with sore gums. That’s the stuff that can make people give up flossing altogether. I mean, you don’t have to buy the priciest brand, but sometimes a slightly better quality floss (even just a step up) makes the whole thing less frustrating and way more likely to become a habit. I used to buy whatever was cheapest, but switching to a mid-range brand made it way less of a chore. Just my two cents—sometimes a little upgrade pays off in the long run.
I hear you on the cheap floss snapping—been there, done that, and nearly launched the little plastic spool across the bathroom. Ever try that waxed stuff that’s supposed to “glide”? I thought it’d be fancy, but it just slipped right past my teeth and did nothing. Ended up with a mid-priced one that doesn’t shred or make my gums look like I lost a fight with a cheese grater. Anyone else notice the minty ones make your mouth feel cleaner, or is that just me convincing myself?
The minty floss thing totally gets me too—sometimes I wonder if it’s actually cleaning better or if my brain just thinks “mint = clean.” Either way, I’ll take it. I’ve tried a bunch of different kinds and had the same issues with the “glide” ones. They’re supposed to be easier, but half the time they just slip around and don’t grab anything between my teeth. I actually ended up with one of those thicker woven types (not the tape, but kind of like that) after my dentist gave me a sample. It’s not fancy, but it doesn’t snap or shred, and my gums don’t look like I tried to floss with a saw blade.
I get what you mean about the cheese grater effect—some of the cheap stuff is brutal. But honestly, even the pricier ones can be hit or miss. Is it weird that sometimes I just use those little pre-threaded floss picks? They’re not eco-friendly, but on days when my hands are shaky or I’m rushing out the door, they save me from skipping flossing altogether.
Have you ever felt like your gums are more sensitive after switching floss brands? When I switched to something softer, it actually helped with bleeding gums, which was a relief. But now I wonder if it’s just because I’m being more consistent about flossing in general.
Anyway, you’re definitely not alone in feeling like you’re fighting an uphill battle with cheap dental stuff. It feels good to know someone else has launched a spool across the bathroom in frustration... Sometimes just sticking with what works—even if it’s not the fanciest option—feels like a win.
The struggle with floss is real—especially when you’re trying to teach a kid to use it without turning the bathroom into a crime scene. I used to swear by those glide ones too, until my son basically just slid them between his teeth and called it a day. The woven types are less “slip ‘n slide” and more “actually gets the gunk out,” at least in our house. And yeah, I totally keep a stash of floss picks for mornings when we’re running late for school... not proud, but hey, at least we’re flossing. My kid’s gums were way happier when we switched to softer stuff too, though I’m still not convinced it’s not just because he finally stopped trying to floss like he was sawing wood.
