Alternatives to Flossing - Dental Health Message Board

JS22 · 07-14-2004, 07:12 PM

I know there might not be much alternatives..is there any I don't know about?

dely1112 · 07-15-2004, 05:20 PM

Getting them all pulled

Seriously, I've heard the water pick is very good. A man in my office says he stopped losing teeth when he started using one. I also had a sonogram toothbrush -- but all these things are in addition to flossing, not instead of. And you know what? Cleaning my new teeth (dentures) takes almost as much time as flossing did, so I didn't save any time there, either.

Good luck - but DO floss!

brwneyez9 · 07-17-2004, 12:53 PM

There is the waterpik. I don't know if it's as good as flossing. other then that nothing you do is going to take the place of flossing. Flossing isn't that hard and doesn't take that long. I foss after dinner while watching tv. They have those new reach floss head out too if you have the i can't get my hands in my mouth to do it. Maybe you are not doing it the right way that makes it harder too. The ADA has a website with instructions on flossing and brushing properly it would check that out.

Kikki · 07-17-2004, 04:15 PM

Listerine now advertises that it cleans between teeth as well as flossing... And I am sure that it DOES kill the germs btw teeth that cause problems, but it still won't get food particles out. It IS better than nothing - if you just plain ARE NOT going to floss, then you should use a good mouthwash. My dentist doesn't like the new electric flossers either - says they don't do nearly as good a job as regular flossing. I keep my floss by my bed and when I get in to watch a little tv before going to sleep I just floss, no biggie. The more you do it, the less tender your gums will be to it and the quicker you will get. Are you currently a non-flosser and just don't want to floss, or are you just curious? Plain ole flossing is the best thing...

goofy's mom · 07-20-2004, 02:12 PM

Flossing is not just to get food particles out from between your teeth--it is to get the plaque off your teeth and gums, with plaque being the main cause of periodontal disease. Not a good thing. So keep on flossing. However, you might try an interdental brush, sometimes called a proxy brush. This little device is great for scrubbing between your molars (don't use it between your front teeth as there is not enough room), but is an adjunct to flossing, not a replacement for it. You may find them at your local drug store in the dental supplies.