Flossing is a cornerstone of good oral hygiene, but not all flossing methods are created equal. In recent years, as several innovative flossing options have been on the rise, floss picks have become a popular alternative to traditional dental floss. These small tools were originally designed to make flossing easier, but many dental professionals argue that floss picks may not be the best choice for maintaining oral health. While flossing is always better than not flossing, there are still several issues that make floss picks less effective than other alternative flossing tools on the market.
Floss Picks Can Damage Your Gums
If handled aggressively, floss picks can cause gum irritation or even injury to your enamel. The fixed and rigid nature of floss picks sometimes results in the user applying too much pressure as they use it between their teeth, which leads to scrapes or cuts on the gums that can become infected. Additionally, improper technique with floss picks can often lead to the string snapping or dragging across the tooth surface in a way that might contribute to tooth sensitivity or weakening over time.
Floss Picks Limit Reach and Control
One of the biggest issues with floss picks is the lack of control they offer compared to other flossing alternatives that allow you to wrap the string around each tooth (called the C-Shape tactic). Floss picks, rather, have a small and fixed length of floss stretched between two plastic prongs; which is a design that limits your ability to manipulate the floss in this necessary C-Shape. Furthermore, the angle at which you hold a floss pick can make it difficult to get between tight spaces or even reach the back teeth. Which is why those who regularly use floss sticks are at a higher risk of plaque buildup and cavities.
GumChucks, on the other hand, makes flossing faster, easier, and more effective because it’s two independent handles give you more control. With GumChucks, it’s easy to put the floss right where you want it without ever having to put your fingers in your mouth. Additionally, unlike floss picks, users automatically make the C-Shape dentists recommend so that the string wraps properly around the tooth and slides easily below the gumline without bruising your gums (such as how the tight floss on floss picks tend to do).
Floss Picks Are Less Effective When Cleaning Below the Gumline
Because floss picks are marketed as convenient and easy to use, some people might overestimate their effectiveness. Dental professionals know that proper flossing is about more than just removing food particles from between your teeth, it’s about reaching below the gumline and extracting plaque and bacteria. Over time, omitting this task will contribute to gingivitis, inflammation, and eventually result in gum disease.
Floss Picks Are Not Eco-Friendly
Being a single-use tool made from plastic, the mass production of floss picks is much more damaging to the earth than other alternative tools on the market. Aside even from the growing concerns of environmental sustainability, using floss sticks will put you at risk of ingesting microplastic particles that may flake off while you’re flossing. With a goal to lessen both the plastic waste found in oceans and the quantity of microplastics in your blood, avoiding floss sticks is much more beneficial to yourself and the planet.
Fortunately, aside from the small flossing tips, GumChucks is not a single-use flossing tool. The nun-chuck GumChuck handles are multi-use and durable enough to last for years. Additionally, all GumChuck products are BPA Free and made from recyclable plastic, which means that the small single-use tips are recyclable as well.
Floss Picks Are Less Effective for Those with Tight Teeth
For individuals with tightly spaced teeth, floss picks are often less effective than flossing alternatives. The thicker, pre-measured piece of floss on a pick may struggle to fit between closely spaced teeth. In contrast, GumChucks is flexible, can be easily maneuvered to fit into tight areas, and even works for those who have braces!
GumChucks: The Best Way to Floss?
While floss picks aren’t inherently bad, they are less effective than GumChucks in ensuring thorough oral care. GumChucks is proven to help clean the 40% of each tooth you can’t reach by brushing, as well as below the gum line where floss picks can’t go. Additionally, our nun-chucks design has made flossing so convenient and fast that 73.7% of people who tried GumChucks have become regular daily flossers!
Oral health has a big impact on overall health. So, by making flossing faster, easier, and more effective, kids are becoming lifelong flossers and adults are making it a daily habit as well. This is why dental professionals all around the world recommend GumChucks to their patients.
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