The Best Alternative To Flossing

Most of us know that flossing is vital in maintaining our dental health, but staying consistent with a flossing routine isn’t always easy. 

The availability of dental floss is occasionally the reason why we skip flossing, but there are a few other reasons too.

Like not being fully skilled with using thread floss or having sensitive gums that bleed the moment flossing starts. 

The good news is that there are other dental cleaning methods you can use to get the same effect.

So let’s take a closer look at the best alternative to flossing and how to remove dental plaque and debris efficiently. 

Our Best Alternative to Flossing Picks

This is a list of our favorite alternatives to traditional flossing. Bear in mind your hygiene preferences as you go through this list. 

We selected a broad range of products to present a variety of cleaning methods and prices. Some of them would be a good solution if you’re out of the house or out of town.

Read on to find which one best suits your needs. 

1. T.Smile 3rd Generation Dental Flosser

These modified dental flossers simplify the process of flossing without steering too far from the basic principle.

You still use a thread, but you don’t tie it around your finger and suffer from its pressure on your circulation. You also have much more accessibility to all areas of your teeth. 

The ready to use flossing thread is very strong, so it won’t tear and leave a bit of thread between your teeth, or break in the middle of flossing the way traditional floss does. It’s also very smooth so it won’t be too hard on your gums. 

The ergonomic handle, easy change mechanism for replacing flossing head and the 135 degrees wide-angle, make this new age dental floss a great alternative for regular flossing. 

2. The Doctor’s BrushPicks Interdental Toothpicks

These Brushpicks are applied more like toothpicks than floss, but they achieve the same outcome of removing the plaque thoroughly. All thanks to the Plyalene bristles which diligently scrape away food and debris from the teeth.

There are 120 picks per pack, with 6 packs in each box and they come with a portable dispensing case.

This arrangement makes the BrushPicks a very versatile and one of the best alternatives to flossing with braces.      

3. GUM Proxabrush Go-Betweens Interdental Brushes, Ultra Tight

These are like mini toothbrushes that reach the tight spots between the teeth and below the gums. The GUM interdental brushes have a triangular cross-section, which removes plaque more vigorously than the conventional brushes with round cross-sections. 

We like the ergonomic design of the GUM Proxabrush, it’s everything the dental floss isn’t and that’s why it’s one of the best  alternative to traditional flossing. 

This starts with the comfortable precise grip  and continues with the bendable neck that facilitates cleaning all the tight spots. 

4. iTeknic Cordless Water Flosser

Waterpik systems provide amazing dental care. They’re super effective at removing plaque and debris and they’re better than conventional flossing. They’re also so easy to use, a child can operate them.  

This unit is cordless, portable, and power economic. Each 4-hour charge supplies enough power to last more than 10 days.

The device can be charged in the normal electric sockets, or you can use a USB cable to charge it from any digital outlet. 

5. Philips Sonicare AirFloss Rechargeable Electric Flosser, HX8211/03

This compact and fully portable flosser uses a mixture of air and water to target plaque. It’s the first in its class and it can do a great job of improving oral health after a few days of usage. 

It’s safe and gentle on teeth and gums and it’s well suited for use with orthodontics, veneers, implants and other dental work. 

This device is designed with inconsistent flossers in mind. It easily reaches every spot inside the mouth and all the tiny spaces between the teeth. It’s also easy to use and carry around anywhere. 

How Often Do We Need to Floss?

The ADA advises that flossing needs to be done at least once a day, every single day. The time isn’t very strictly marked, so you can include flossing in your morning routine or before going to bed.  

Flossing is best done together with brushing. It doesn’t matter much whether that’s before or after or at the same time of brushing. 

By the way, there are Waterpik flosser systems that use a brush/floss combo, which can be used separately or simultaneously.

You can also add mouthwash to your flossing routine if you are using an irrigation system. This enhances your overall dental cleaning, protects your teeth from any remaining bacteria. And of course, gives you fresh breath confidence.  

Best Flossing Tool Alternatives

Skipping your daily flossing is usually an indication that conventional flossing isn’t your thing, but you’re actually in good company here. If you type-in what’s the best alternative to flossing in Reddit, you’ll see how many people share the same interest.

Fortunately, there are many good alternatives to using thread for flossing, like:

• flossing with interdental brushes,
• interdental picks,
• modified thread flossers with a handle,
• Waterpiks, and
• air/water jet flossers. 

Here’s what you need to know about each. Choose one or more of these alternatives as the situation calls for it, or what feels more comfortable to you.   

Interdental Brushes 

They’re like tiny toothbrushes that can penetrate the small crevices between teeth. They sweep the whole surface area of every tooth. 

Interdental brushes are easy to use, as they do not need any prior preparations. You just move them around your teeth and they’re as portable as they get. Carry them around and use them anywhere. 

Interdental Picks

They’re applied the same way as regular toothpicks. They can reach into the tiniest and hardest to reach spots. These devices are simple and very efficient dental cleaners. 

They’re also small enough to be packed in a small bag. Disposing of them after use is just as simple.  

Pre-threaded Flossers

For many people, the hardest part about using thread for flossing is cutting the right amount of floss thread and moving it around their teeth correctly and effectively. 

Pre-threaded flossers take the difficult part out of the process, and once it becomes easier to do then it turns into an integral part of daily oral hygiene.  

These use actual dental floss, but it’s mounted on a handle just like a regular toothbrush. There are many designs to the flossing head, most of them focusing on ease of mounting and wide-angle targeting. 

Waterpiks

These devices are more efficient than the other methods as they remove more than 99.9% of the targeted plaque. 

They have several water pressure settings and they’re great as alternatives to flossing with braces, implants and similar dental work. 

They’re easy to use even by children, or if someone has a hand or wrist injury. All this makes Waterpiks some of the best alternatives to traditional flossing

Air Floss

This system is very similar to the Waterpik, but it uses an air jet together with the water jet. You only need to use it for 30 seconds to see impressive results.  

Chewing Sugar-Free Gum

Chewing sugar-free gum is one of the solutions to avoid plaque. This is supported by ADA advice. You just have to keep on chewing for 20 minutes straight.  

They all work very effectively, some of them far exceed thread flosses, and they‘re much easier to use.  

I haven’t included wooden toothpicks in this list as they can hurt the gums or break and get stuck between the teeth. 

You might also want to make the quarterly visit to the dental hygienist a bit more frequent. This makes up for the times flossing wasn’t so easy to do.  

The Best Alternative To Flossing Wrap Up

Flossing is an essential part of oral hygiene and some studies show that it’s even more important than brushing. Despite its demonstrated importance, it’s often overlooked. 

We’d say that a Waterpik is the best flossing tool and T.3 Smile 3rd Generation Dental Flosser is one of the nicest alternatives to dental flossing.

It’s fast, effective and easy to do daily. It’s also ADA approved, so you can trust its durability and premium quality. 

Sometimes a simpler method for flossing is more appropriate. A GUM Proxabrush Go-Betweens Interdental Brushes comes in very handy if you’re eating out with friends or spending a few days out of town. 

They’re nicely priced and it’s so easy to carry around a pack of these and dispose of them after each use. 

Oral hygiene has never been simpler with our list of the best alternative to flossing options.