Water Pick Vs. Dental Floss – Pros & Cons!

Excerpt: Ever thought about buying a water pick, but you think they might not be worth the extra strain on your budget? For your oral and dental health, water picks definitely...

Posted on: October 5, 2021

Ever thought about buying a water pick, but you think they might not be worth the extra strain on your budget? For your oral and dental health, water picks definitely do provide benefits, but we still recommend you floss too.

What Are The pros Of Flossing Your Teeth?

Let’s start from the beginning, first let’s discuss the pros & cons of flossing your teeth, (if you aren’t flossing, we highly recommend it). For flossing, both standard dental floss and floss picks are excellent choices. Floss picks can be even better than standard floss since they’re generally easier to use and can get into smaller spaces better.

If you have never seen a floss pick, check out this one. (We’re not promoting this brand specifically, just using it as an example).

Here are some of the benefits of flossing:

Reduces & can eliminate plaque
Reduces risk of cavities
Helps to reduce gum disease (gingivitis)
Keeps breath fresher (halitosis)

Lots of food can get stuck in your teeth without you even noticing, especially when you have oral appliances like braces, bridges, and others. Using floss after you brush will allow you to efficiently clean these small spaces with out much effort. If these food particles are left unattended, then they can cause further complications, mainly: gum disease, pain/discomfort, infection, bad breath.

Who Would Benefit From Using A Water Pick?

Everyone can use a water pick, and they will probably benefit from it too. However, water picks are most beneficial for people who have:

Braces
Non-removable bridges
Crowns
Bad arthritis

If you have any of these then a water pick may help you get into those, “hard-to-reach areas”.

What Are The Pros Of A Water Pick?

Water picks definitely have some benefits over traditional flossing:

Easy-to-use – You may find it easier to spray water instead of using floss, plus water may be softer for more sensitive gums
Clean and fresh – If you have a mix of 1/3rd mouthwash to 2/3rds water, then you also have the added benefit of the mouthwash.

What Are The Disadvantages Of A Water Pick?

They aren’t perfect, here are some not so great things:

Not as effective – Using flosses or floss picks will give you more control and more force to get stubborn food particles out.
Can be messy – You’re spraying water into your mouth, it may splash around the bathroom and cause more cleanup.
Noise-level – They do produce noise since they have to pump the water from the reservoirs to your mouth.

How Do I Add A Water Pick To Your Routine?

If you want to give water picking a go, then this would be a really good strategy to do 2-3 times per day:

Brush your teeth for up to 2 minutes (preferably with an electric toothbrush).
Floss your teeth (using just regular floss, or a floss pick)
Use the water pick on each one of your teeth (filled with the 70/30 water & mouthwash solution.

This routine will cover basically everything you would need to keep your mouth clean on a daily basis. The great thing about this routine is the variety of tools, if you miss one tooth flossing, you’ll probably get it with brushing or the water pick!

Water Pick Vs. Dental Floss – Who Wins

Both have their place in an outstanding oral routine. For the best results, we would recommend flossing your teeth with normal floss, than using the water pick with mouthwash and water. If you need to choose just one, pick the dental floss as it is more versatile, and generally more effective at getting out the tough stuff.