- Water flossers definitely take some practice... my kid sprayed the mirror, the cat, and himself the first week.
- Gums were a bit sore at first, but that settled down after a few days.
- We started with a Waterpik Nano—smaller tank means less mess when he gets distracted.
- He likes it more than threading regular floss, and I’ll take “sort of clean” over “not at all.”
- Pro tip: have him lean over the sink and keep his mouth mostly closed—cuts down on the splash zone.
- Honestly, it’s still not perfect, but at least he doesn’t fight me about it every night.
“I’ll take ‘sort of clean’ over ‘not at all.’”
I get that, but I still worry water flossers don’t really get between the teeth like string floss. My dentist said they’re okay, but not a full replacement. I’m anxious about missing spots... maybe I’m just old school.
I totally get that feeling—honestly, I’m always second-guessing if I’m actually cleaning everything, too. My dentist said water flossers are “better than nothing” but not a total swap for string floss. I tried using just the water flosser for a week and then went back to string floss… let’s just say I was surprised by what showed up. Not super pleasant.
Here’s what I’ve ended up doing: first, I use the water flosser because it feels kind of fun (and yeah, lazy), then I go in with floss picks for any stubborn spots. It’s not the textbook method, but it makes me less anxious about missing stuff. Maybe it’s overkill, but my teeth feel cleaner and my gums don’t yell at me.
It’s weird how something so small can make you worry. But hey, if you’re old school, at least you know you’re thorough. Sometimes I wish I could just use mouthwash and call it a day... but my dentist would probably give me that look.
Sometimes I wish I could just use mouthwash and call it a day... but my dentist would probably give me that look.
Haha, right? If only mouthwash counted for everything. I’m with you on the water flosser—mine feels like a mini power washer, but it never quite replaces string floss for me. Do you notice a difference in your gums on days you skip the floss picks, or is it mostly peace of mind?
