The 7 best flossing alternatives for keeping your gums healthy, according to dentists

When you buy through our links, Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more. Huizeng Hu / Getty ImagesDespite the fact that flossing is crucial to get rid of harmful plaque build-up that a toothbrush can’t reach, roughly one-third of Americans lie to their dentist about how much they floss.

There’s plenty of reason to: It’s awkward, painful, smells funny, feels funny, causes bleeding, and is difficult to do. Fifty-five percent of people found it too “time-consuming” in a 2017 survey conducted by Waterpik and the American Dental Association. But if you aren’t flossing once per day or more, you may face bone structure issues, periodontal disease (better known as gum disease), cavities, painful dental procedures, and even tooth loss down the line.

Still, some 14% of Americans said they’d rather clean a toilet than run the white string between their teeth, according to the American Academy of Periodontology — which means we desperately need a viable alternative. Luckily, there are other options to nix plaque than just the traditional string — and dentists say they work pretty darn well. We tested a variety of plaque-banishing alternatives to narrow down which are actually effective and helpful for fairweather flossers.

The products featured below can be used to completely replace flossing, even if you don’t floss at all, though some dentists assert nothing is quite as good as the real (read: annoying and painful) thing. Learn more about how Insider Reviews tests and recommends health products. Here are the best products to help keep teeth healthy and plaque-free for folks who hate flossing:Best all-around water flosser: Sonicare Airfloss Pro/Ultra Interdental Cleaner, $89.

99 on Phillips Sonicare Best water flosser on a budget: Smile Water Flosser, $40 on Smile Direct ClubBest water flosser/toothbrush combo: Waterpik Sonic Fusion, $192 on AmazonBest string-free floss: Mix’n Match Starter Set, $10. 50 on Simply FlossBest quick-floss tool: Plackers Micro Mint Flossers, $6. 49 on AmazonBest elevated-experience floss: Cocofloss, $25 on AmazonBest innovative product: Gumchucks, $6.

99 on AmazonBest all-around water flosserPhilipsWater flossers and airflossers work by spraying water, mouthwash, air, or a combination of these between the teeth.  Now, if you’re considering a water flosser, chances are pretty high you’re considering a Waterpik. However, Joseph Salim, DMD, a cosmetic dentist in New York, told Insider the Sonicare Airfloss Pro/Ultra is actually his first choice of products for lazy flossers.

A company-backed study says the Sonicare Airfloss Pro, which can be used with plain water or mouthwash, makes for healthier gums in just two weeks (alongside brushing, obviously).  It’s worth noting that an older study out of Canada found the Waterpik Water Flosser did eliminate more plaque compared to a Sonicare AirFloss (99. 9%).

But technology has greatly evolved in nine years, and Sonicare reports that its current model of Airfloss Pro/Ultra also removes 99. 9% of the plaque in between teeth. Moreover, Salim added that in his opinion, the Sonicare AirFloss Pro/Ultra is the best electric flosser.

What’s more, he worries the Waterpik’s narrower head design and hole could push bacteria and food debris further down the sulcus (that’s the space between the teeth and gum). The main difference for me when using the Sonicare AirFloss Pro/Ultra compared to other water-based flossers, including the Waterpik, was a cleaner and less. .

. watery experience. Rather than a constant stream of liquid, the product uses bursts of air and microdroplets of water, Dr.

Rozenberg explained. She commended the product’s battery life compared to others, and the more “effortless process” when compared to hard-to-hold string floss. Best water flosser on a budgetSmileDirectClubIf you’re interested in the potential a water flosser may have for your daily routine but not ready to drop too much cash, the Smile Direct Club Water Flosser is a fraction of the price of a Waterpik and does a comparable job cleaning teeth.

With a simplistic and minimalist design, this product isn’t bulky or hard to figure out, and won’t take up too much counter space. Another benefit to water flossers, I found, was the ability to navigate permanent dental wear, such as a lower retainer that’s been glued in since those awkward and glorious teenage years, which is always a struggle to navigate with traditional floss. Smile Direct Club’s water flosser works the same as others, shooting a stream of water in between your teeth to loosen and remove plaque.

It’s a cordless design and has various pressure modes. The device is water-resistant so you can use it in the shower if that’s your jam. And one charge lasts around a month, which is nice.

Best water flosser/toothbrush comboWaterpikFlossing toothbrushes are an ingenious category for the seriously lazy (which I count myself among): As you clean with the electric toothbrush, these special devices will also spray water between the teeth, which helps to remove stubborn food particles and harmful plaque both between the teeth and below the gum line, Caprice Marjenin, DDS, the general dentist and owner of Magnolia Dentistry on Market in Frederick, MD, told Insider. (She recommends using it with a hydrogen peroxide solution as well to “amplify the effectiveness. “)While you should still use traditional floss regularly, flossing toothbrushes are a great better-than-nothing item, and Waterpik Sonic Fusion is one of the best available, Michaela Tozzi, DMD, a general and cosmetic dentist in Las Vegas, told Insider.

Not only does it save you time and a step, but it also doesn’t cause bleeding like traditional flossing sometimes does and is much easier to use for people with “dexterity issues” (meaning it’s hard to get the proper angle or leverage from your hands), Tozzi added. While I wouldn’t go so far as to call using this device “fun,” eliminating the step of flossing was definitely more efficient and preferable. Having one combination device also takes up much less bathroom counter space than two products, if that’s a constraint in your home.

Best string-free flossSimplyFlossSometimes regular floss feels annoying and painful. What’s more, continuously rewrapping the floss around your fingers for a better grip is at least frustrating, if not nearly impossible for people with less finger dexterity and grip. Simply Floss is like a long, gummy, stretchy, thin rope with finger loops on each side.

It doesn’t fray like regular floss, and the ridges along the string (well, the non-string string) make it feel like it’s really doing its job of cleaning between your teeth. This option is the most economical and environmentally-friendly, as you can just wash and reuse this product. My only frustration was in getting enough pressure to get the rope through my teeth, as the length of the rope itself was somewhat longer than I’d typically use with regular floss.

Of all the options, this seemed to be the most kid-friendly, if you are looking for a way to hook your kids on flossing before they develop the same disdain as us lazy grown-up flossers. Best quick-floss toolPlackersDaily flossing is super important, but sometimes you need quick-use floss when you have popcorn, corn, or some other food stuck between your teeth. Many dentists recommend floss picks, including Joel Gould, DDS, a dentist in the Los Angeles area, who says because the pre-loaded flossers are small and can be stored in many places, it increases the chances you’ll clear plaque.

Plackers Dental Flosser in particular are tiny and very economical (about 3 cents per pick), so you truly can stash a handful everywhere from your car’s center console to your kitchen junk drawer. These floss picks offer a hands-free, pre-stretched inch of floss for a quick between-the-teeth swipe. But the best feature of Plackers is definitely the little “toothpick” that folds out from the base of the pick to dislodge the most pesky piece of food.

Sounds minor, but this feature makes all the difference. I also love that these are mint flavored, so you don’t have any of that nasty plaque smell and taste and instead feel like you’ve just had a piece of gum. The one downside this product doesn’t solve is if you truly hate the feeling of floss between your teeth, you’re still not going to like this device.

Best elevated-experience flossCocoflossUsing Cocofloss is like turning your average, crappy Tuesday into a mini spa day — it turns the mundane and annoying act of flossing into a colorful, exciting experience. Cocofloss’ packaging involves a brightly-colored box including images of Hawaii and a self-care brochure/newsletter. Overall, the packaging had me feeling like I’d just opened a recent beauty subscription box as opposed to an old boring package of floss.

The fan-favorite flavors range from Cara Cara Orange to Fresh Coconuts, and transport you to somewhere way more fun and exotic than your bathroom. Because this is still string floss on a spool, so the flossing experience was pretty much the same from there on out. But the brand uses coconut oil in its floss, which it claims soothes your teeth as you remove plaque.

For me, this really did make the flossing experience feel less harsh. The flavorings really elevated the typical experience from a disgusting process of smelling your own plaque and plaque-covered fingers, to one more like using your favorite lotion. The idea of rebranding this essential health care item into a beauty product is one that really helped me to see floss as a self-care initiative rather than an annoying “have to” that I always feel bad about forgetting.

The downside is that this product makes your flossing habit way more costly, at almost four times the cost of traditional unscented floss. Read our full review on Cocofloss. Best innovative productGumChucksNo one enjoys putting their fingers in their mouth, especially when you start tossing plaque and spit around the place.

Gumchucks is the innovative solution to this. It’s actually exactly what it sounds like — a nunchuck (the weapon that has two sticks linked together by a chain), but the chain is the floss and the sticks are the things you get to hold to keep your hands dry and out of your mouth. This out-of-the-box flossing accessory has the added benefit of increasing maneuverability during flossing.

Those hard-to-reach places become more accessible because the sticks are a lot easier to maneuver than your own bulky fingers. The product comes with refills so that you are replacing the string itself after each use, and is available in adult and kid sizes. If you aren’t flossing because of the taste, smell, or pain/bleeding, this won’t really change that.

But it does help change the angle, reduce need for grip, and keep you from having to put your hands in your mouth, which may be enough obstacles removed for most people. How we testedThe dental products went through multiple rounds of testing to gauge the following: Ease of use, bulkiness/how much space it takes up, flavor/feel during use, pressure/power, and value. Ease of use: The products chosen above are easily usable by the average consumer, and in most cases have a simple enough design that you can skip the directions entirely and just use common sense.

As one of the barriers to traditional flossing is that it can be difficult to maneuver, this was an important aspect to consider. Size and bulk: Many people have limited bathroom counter or drawer space that’s already full of essentials like an electric toothbrush and skincare. Because of this, the physical size and footprint of each device were crucial.

We included a range of options, from small products (the picks and Cocofloss) to large ones  (the Waterpik). Feel and taste during use: Another key reason flossing can be unpleasant is the feel of putting your hands and floss in your mouth and the smell from the plaque that comes loose. To combat this, we looked for products that let your hands stay outside your face, that offered flavors and fragrances to offset the smell/taste issue, and also focused on how our teeth felt during and after flossing.

Pressure and power: Nobody wants to purchase a $100+ water flosser only to find out it’s like swishing water around in your mouth. All of the considered products used powerful force and felt like they were truly doing their jobs by getting in between teeth. Value: Floss is cheap.

Sometimes alternatives are not. We kept in mind the most budget-friendly options (some custom-made flossing alternatives can cost hundreds of dollars) to ensure your dental health stayed in the “cheap” section of your monthly budget. For more expensive items, such as combination brushes and flosser, we ensured the value matched the price as you are getting two items in one.

Our sourcesFor this article, we talked to six dentists from around the country and gathered research from many credible sources. Our main list of references includes:Lana Rozenberg, DDS, a celebrity cosmetic dentist in New York CityJoseph Salim, DMD, a cosmetic dentist in New YorkCaprice Marjenin, DDS, general dentist and owner of Magnolia Dentistry on Market in Frederick, MDMichaela Tozzi, DMD, a general and cosmetic dentist in Las VegasJoel Gould, DDS, a dentist in the Los Angeles area”More than a quarter of U. S.

adults are dishonest with dentists about how often they floss their teeth. ” from the American Academy of Periodontology, 2015″Comparison of two power interdental cleaning devices on plaque removal. ” The Journal of Clinical Dentistry, 2012″Unusual Flossing habits.

” Waterpik/American Dental Association, 2017Finally, this article was medically reviewed by André V. Ritter, DDS, MS, MBA, PhD, professor and chair of the Department of Cariology & Comprehensive Care at NYU Dentistry. Read the original article on Insider.