I hate flossing. I know I need to do it, but I just can't stand it. What are my options?
Does any of this sound familiar?
- Your fingers losing circulation after wrapping all that floss around them.
- The guessing game of, how much floss do I need?
- Wondering, as you stick your fingers in your mouth, What did I last touch? Did I wash my hands well enough?
I’m not going to be the dentist who tries to guilt trip you into flossing, because if guilt worked, you’d already be flossing by now! You know how important flossing is, so why not make it easy?
For a few dollars from the drugstore or online, you can get a flossing stick — a device shaped like a toothbrush, but with a snap-on flosser head.
These are fantastic, and I use one myself. They turn flossing into a one-handed operation and are awesome for multi-taskers – you can flip through your phone with one hand while flossing with the other — you’re allowed to floss and text!
A flossing stick could very well be the thing that turns you from a non-flosser into a flosser, which can have life-long implications in terms of longevity and disease prevention.
Who Are Flossing Sticks Good For?
If you’re a multi-tasker: If you’re trying to make flossing a habit, a flossing stick is great because it’s a one-handed operation, making it possible for you to floss while you’re on your phone if you want to — just like brushing. You won’t need a mirror to floss with a flossing stick, so you could floss in front of the TV if you wanted to.
If you’re short on time: Using a flossing stick is a much quicker process. From start to finish, I’d say it’s 60% faster.
If floss hurts your fingers: Your hand never has to go inside your mouth or get wrapped around your fingers. No loss of circulation!
If you find flossing annoying: You won’t have to mess around with winding the floss around your fingers and guessing as to how much you need.
If you’re a parent: A flossing stick makes it much easier to floss your kids’ teeth. If your child is special needs, this little device will be a God-send.
If you have a dog: Flossing your pets’ teeth can make them live longer! Did you know that canines are used in dental school as the model for human gingivitis? That’s how similar our mouths are — so if we need to floss, they do too, and a flossing stick makes this possible.
If you find flossing physically challenging: Flossing sticks are a fantastic option for those with a poor grip, the elderly, and people with special needs. If you’re uncoordinated, have a disability, or are the parent of a special needs child, this is a great solution.
If flossing hurts: With regular floss, you can sometimes go too far and hurt or cut the gums. The flossing stick gives you more control and leverage when breaking the contact so that the floss doesn’t get in too far. Since the forces used to push the floss to break the contact are directly over the contact, you have much more control and it’s less painful than flossing from far away with regular floss.
If you’re sick: During flu season, a flossing stick is great — you won’t have to put your hands in your mouth in order to get the job done.
If you’re traveling and afraid of getting sick: I had a patient travel to a country in Africa where water from the sink could make you sick. She brought a flossing stick to make sure she never had to put her fingers in her mouth — and instead of rinsing the replaceable floss head, she just swapped it out for a new one for each day of flossing.
If you have a small mouth: The flossing stick works just like a toothbrush — you never have to reach your fingers into your mouth.
If you have wisdom teeth: It can be hard to access hard to reach teeth with floss, but the flossing stick makes this no problem.
Just keep it in the same spot as your toothbrush to make it a habit.
It could be a total game changer — for self-confidence, health, reaping the benefits of healthy teeth and gums.
How Bad Is Not Flossing?