You may have seen advertisements in recent years for electric flossers and wondered if they work. Traditional floss is still the most effective way to clean plaque and tartar from the sides of teeth and remove food particles from between them. However, if the idea of new technology excites you and will help you clean your teeth twice daily, then flossing toothbrushes may be the tool for you.
However, you should know all the facts about these inventions before buying one. Let’s explore the origins of electric, at-home oral hygiene tools including flossers and toothbrushes.
What Are Electric Flossers?
Like brushing, flossing is an essential part of good dental hygiene. It lifts and removes plaque and food in between your teeth where the bristles of a toothbrush can’t reach or remove all of it. Therefore, flossing is crucial to keep your mouth as clean as possible.
While your dentist undoubtedly recommends flossing at least once a day, some patients complain that they don’t like the way it feels when they use traditional waxed or unwaxed dental floss.
Electric flossers aim to make flossing more convenient by using several different methods to clean in between teeth, such as:
- Water flossers: Shoots out a stream of water that can be aimed between teeth.
- Air flossers: Uses a burst of air and water droplets to disrupt plaque found between teeth.
While electric flossers are great tools that can supplement your overall dental hygiene routine, most dentists still recommend good old fashioned flossing. However, using this technology in place of floss is better than not flossing at all.
What Are Electric Toothbrushes?
Like electric flossers, electric toothbrushes can be used instead of a typical, manual toothbrush. The bristles of an electric toothbrush rotate or vibrate to remove built-up plaque from your teeth and gums. The highest quality electric toothbrushes oscillate and rotate, allowing you to deeply clean and polish your teeth. Some even include automatic timers that go off after two minutes, which is how long most dentists recommend you should brush for at a time.
What Are Hybrid Flossing Toothbrushes?
Flossing toothbrushes combine the technology of an electric toothbrush and a water flosser into one oral hygiene tool. Flossing toothbrushes claim to be the only dental product you need, allowing you to brush and floss your teeth simultaneously.
The main advantage of a hybrid flossing toothbrush is that it provides a flossing alternative if you don’t regularly floss. Its addition to a brushing-only routine can target more plaque buildup that may be left behind. However, there is no proof that it works as well as traditional flossing techniques.
What Are the Pros and Cons of Flossing Toothbrushes?
Before purchasing a flossing toothbrush, it’s a good idea to weigh both their upsides and pitfalls. Also, be sure to speak to your general dentist to see if this product is a good option for your oral hygiene needs.
Here is a look at some key positive and negative aspects.
Pros include:
- Flossing toothbrushes can be a good option for people who wouldn’t otherwise floss. By combining these two vital teeth cleaning processes, it ensures those who don’t regularly floss have at least a minimal cleaning between their teeth.
- Flossing toothbrushes are terrific for people with bracketed braces. If you or your teen wears braces with metal or plastic brackets, you may want to pick up a flossing toothbrush to make hygiene simpler.
- Flossing toothbrushes are easy to operate. Water flossers tend to be easier to operate, especially for those who do not have the dexterity needed to use traditional floss.
Cons include:
- Flossing toothbrushes tend to not work as well as their manual counterparts. Unfortunately, the water flosser functionality is often not as good at cleaning plaque off of teeth as traditional floss. The water tends to pass over built-up plaque and tartar and does not have the power needed to clean deep between teeth. Most dentists do not consider water flossers to be a substitute for brushing or flossing. However, it can be used as an additional step in the mouth cleaning process.
- Flossing toothbrushes are big and require energy and water. You can easily toss a manual toothbrush and floss in your bag or backpack, but flossing toothbrushes aren’t as go-anywhere. If convenience is important to you, sticking with regular “no fuss” tools probably makes sense.
- Flossing toothbrushes are far more expensive than buying regular toothbrushes and dental floss. Good toothbrushes are relatively inexpensive and routinely go on sale. In contrast, a flossing toothbrush is a definite investment.
Do Flossing Toothbrushes Work?
At the end of the day, whether or not you use a flossing toothbrush is up to you. If this new technology excites you and makes the idea of cleaning your teeth twice daily more enjoyable, then a flossing toothbrush may be a viable option for your overall dental hygiene. While it may not be as good as regular flossing, it’s better than not flossing at all.
If you have any questions about which tooth care options are best for you, feel free to contact Dental Choice today.