All about Flossing – Best Methods, Water Picks, and More

While we do our best to triple fact check our sources and talk with experts before we put out an article, we ask that you talk with your dentist before making any changes to your routine. This article is a helpful starting point for a conversation with a dental professional, not a guide! 

Lately multiple people have said this to me: “you know my dentist said flossing is actually more important than brushing your teeth.” Usually they’re saying this to say they don’t actually need to brush, but that made me start to wonder… is that actually true?  

As a regular flosser and 2-3 times a day tooth brusher, I figure my own thoughts and opinions on this are probably not going to be great. So I did some research and put together a quick guide for you on all things flossing. 

Why do you need to Floss?  

Bacteria does best in dark, warm, and wet places, AKA, your mouth. As gross as it is, It’s a fact of life. The best place for bacteria is your gums, specifically the crevices your gums form around your teeth as there is usually a lot of food/plaque build up in these areas.  

If you don’t get rid of that bacteria you’re opening yourself up to gum disease, tooth decay, and cavities. You can brush your teeth to get rid of the bacteria and the plaque on your teeth, but that doesn’t really do a great job at getting into the crevices between your teeth. 

Flossing, when done right, cleans the hard to reach space between your teeth, removing bacteria and the plaque/food that future bacteria might be attracted to. 

Can Flossing Replace Brushing? 

The answer is no. Dentists who say flossing can replace brushing are referring to a specific type of flossing that most people don’t do (which we will cover later) and most dentists disagree with this belief.  

Basically, you need to brush to deal with the front and back of your teeth and you need to floss to deal with the sides of your teeth and your gums. Oh, and if you’re wondering which order, you should floss first and then brush your teeth second. You might be tempted to rinse your mouth out, but you shouldn’t (unless your dentist says otherwise). Rinsing gets rid of the fluoride that’s in most toothpastes, this fluoride is like carwax that protects your teeth. 

Water Flosser, Floss Picks, Wire Brushes, or Good ol’ String – Which is best and why? 

Water flossers have been the panic last-minute holiday gift for many estranged aunts and uncles these past three years, but are they actually useful? There have been a lot of dental fads, so are these going to crash and burn like Listerine strips or are these actually a cool innovation like Invisalign? And what about floss picks, or those weird wire brushes? 

To keep it simple regular dental floss, when used correctly, is the best flossing method. Reason being that it is the most effective at getting into hard to reach places (where most of the bacteria ends up) and is also the cheapest to use.  

As for the other options, talk to your dentist! They will be able to tell you what is best for your specific set of teeth. For a quick rundown: water flossers are a good add on, something to do on top of flossing, and are especially good if you have any perio-pockets or hardware like spacers, braces. Floss picks are basically worse floss, they’re best for people who have less dexterity and aren’t able to use regular floss correctly. Wire brushes are really cool, but you have to find the right size. If you have crowded teeth, you’ll want a smaller size, again these can’t replace regular floss, but are a great second option.  

Again, we really recommend you talk to your dentist! They know your mouth better than you probably do!  

How do you use a Water Flosser 

Water Picks are not going to stop cavities, but they are great for your gums. To use a Water Pick we recommend you do it before brushing your teeth. You should also use warm water if possible! If your water flosser comes with other tips, read the instructions and see what tip is which. Some tips are designed for braces or specific teeth, if you’re unsure which to use, take a picture and ask your dentist!  

As for how to actually use it, remember that the whole point of a water flosser is to stimulate your gums and to help wash away debris/bacteria that’s stuck under your teeth and around your gums. So your goal should be to move from tooth to tooth aiming for the point where your teeth and gums meet. You should also pause for a second at the space where two teeth meet! Repeat for the front and back and the top and bottom, and then you’re good to go! 

If you’re making a mess when you water floss, then you might need to close your mouth a little. Additionally, don’t try to look in the mirror while water flossing. You should basically be hunched over your sink so you don’t make a mess.  

If your water flosser has a pressure setting, aim for the middle and adjust it from there, it shouldn’t sting and should feel more like a massage. You can floss in the morning or at night, just aim to do it always at the same time every day.  

How do you use a floss pick 

Floss picks should be used like floss. You want to slide the string between your teeth and then twist your wrist so that way you’re getting around the corners of your teeth with the string.  

The big downside to floss picks is they tend to only go up and down between your teeth and don’t do much for your gums or the curving sides of your teeth, so you should try to use them with something like a water flosser or try to get ones that can curve around your teeth. 

We’ll talk about this more in the “how to floss” section, but please remember not to “saw” with your floss. You want to clean the sides of your teeth, so pull the pick sideways and move it up and down, not back and forth. 

Another downside to floss picks is that they’re basically single use plastics. I highly recommend trying to find eco-friendly or recyclable ones for that reason. 

How do you use a Wire Brush (also called interdental brushes) 

Interdental brushes have tons of different names and are kind of difficult to recommend. If you have large gaps in your teeth or have areas where there is a lot of plaque buildup, then these might be right for you.  

If you use these they are pretty straightforward, just push them between your teeth. When you use them the wire should not touch your teeth. If it does, you need to get a smaller size. The only part that should be touching your teeth are the bristles.  

These, much like floss picks, are not very eco-friendly and they can be quite expensive. They do sell reusable ones, so if you can find those and keep them clean, that’s a good place to start.  

As a general note, studies show these are not as effective as flossing, assuming you’re flossing correctly. If you are flossing but not perfectly, then these are probably just as good at flossing. And, as a final note, you might still have bleeding issues at the dentist if you’re not using these properly, so be sure to be thorough while using these. 

How do you use Dental Floss?  

 And finally, the moment you all have probably been waiting for. Floss! Flossing is without a doubt the best thing you can do for your teeth, and can seriously improve your gum health, but it is much much more effective if you’re making sure you’re doing it properly.  

To floss properly you’ll need a longer piece of floss, it should be the same width as your shoulders, anything smaller can work, but will probably be very difficult to maneuver.  

Wrap the floss around your middle fingers on both hands, and then pinch the floss between your thumb and index finger. Then, insert it between your teeth.  

Once the floss is between your teeth, you want to make a C shape around the tooth you’re cleaning. Scrape the floss up and down (all the way past the gumline), and then reverse the C shape and clean the other tooth. After you’re done with that section, release some floss from the left middle finger, and then pick up the slack with the right middle finger. This will make sure you’re using a clean strand of floss each time.  

Note: You should not make a “sawing motion” in your teeth. You can do that to get the floss between your teeth, but you should only be moving up and down with the floss once you’re in your mouth.  

If your gums bleed, that is normal! Make sure you’re not sawing. Eventually your teeth will stop bleeding. If your gums hurt, again that’s normal. It will hurt less the more you floss. It should never be an unbearable pain though. If it is, talk to your dentist, that might be a sign of gum disease.  

Here’s a good resource on how to floss, the video is a little silly, but she really breaks it down! (Note, the tutorial starts at 42 seconds, so skip ahead!)  

https://youtu.be/WviE5aa5Ha0?t=42