The benefits of flossing are well-known and widely advertised. Flossing braces, bridges, and natural teeth will remove food particles that cannot be removed by brushing. But, flossing is not a pleasant activity for most people. This can lead to many people avoiding it or putting it off for as long as possible. But, another option to make flossing easier is using an electric toothbrush with a built-in floss function. Instead of traditional string dental floss. So which of them is better for your oral health? Keep reading to find out!
What is a Flossing Toothbrush?
A flossing toothbrush is a type of toothbrush with a built-in interdental cleaner. It helps you floss your teeth without using traditional dental floss. Brushing your teeth is not enough. You also need to remove food particles, plaque, and bacteria that you cannot reach with only your toothbrush. You can do this using conventional dental floss. This is a small piece of thread you use to clean the area between your teeth that a toothbrush cannot reach. While dental floss is essential to your oral hygiene routine, it is not pleasant to use. You have to wrap the floss around 2-3 fingers, clean it between your teeth, and then throw it away after one use. These are why inventors started looking into creating an electric toothbrush that has flossing.
How Does a Flossing Toothbrush Work?
A flossing toothbrush works in a similar way to a normal toothbrush. It features a small brush head with soft bristles and a built-in interdental cleaner that helps you clean where a toothbrush cannot reach. Most electric toothbrushes with flossing functions come with a replaceable flossing head with small, thread-like pieces. These are made of a soft yet durable material.
Depending on your chosen model, a flossing toothbrush can either use strings or small rubber flossers. These are pushed between the teeth and gums to remove plaque and food particles from your mouth.
Is a Flossing Toothbrush Better Than Brushing and Flossing?
A flossing toothbrush makes it easier to floss your teeth, but does it improve the whole process? The answer is both yes and no.
Yes, because using a flossing toothbrush will make you floss your teeth more often. It will be better than using conventional dental floss. Yes, because you will not have to wrap the dental floss around two or three of your fingers. Because the electric flossing toothbrush will do the job for you. No, because the flossing toothbrush is not better than conventional dental floss. No, because there is no research to prove that using a flossing toothbrush is better than using dental floss.
The Downsides of Using an Electric Flossing Toothbrush
While a flossing toothbrush will make the flossing process easier and more pleasant. Yet, it does come with certain disadvantages. Most electric brushes with flossing functions are more expensive than regular toothbrushes. They also have a shorter battery life, so you must charge them more often.
Another disadvantage that you may experience is that a flossing toothbrush can make your teeth appear whiter. But, the exact cause is not fully understood, and it is not confirmed that this is due to the flossing feature.
Should You Buy an Electric Flossing Toothbrush?
If you have never liked flossing, using a flossing toothbrush will make your life easier. You can use it to remove food particles from your teeth, gums, and the space between your teeth more often. You can use the built-in interdental cleaner to clean braces, dental bridges, and other dental appliances. A flossing toothbrush can make the whole flossing process easier and more pleasant for you. The only disadvantage of using an electric flossing toothbrush is the price. They are usually more expensive than regular toothbrushes. But also last longer since they are used less often.
BOTTOM LINE
As we have seen, a flossing toothbrush is an electronic toothbrush that helps you floss your teeth more easily and painlessly. In addition, a flossing toothbrush can make flossing more enjoyable and less messy by cleaning between your teeth and under your gumline.
No scientific studies prove that using a flossing toothbrush is better than conventional dental floss. However, most agree that it is easier and less time-consuming. Therefore, if you dislike flossing and prefer a more convenient option, you should choose a flossing toothbrush over conventional dental floss.