Choosing from the variety of flossing devices available can be overwhelming. Cleaning between your teeth using string floss, dental picks, water flossers or interdental brushes is a vital part of any oral care routine. Many people prefer the classic form of flossing, but how does waxed dental floss stack up vs. unwaxed? You'll soon have an understanding of what makes flossing effective and how to maintain a healthy smile.
Waxed Or Unwaxed Dental Floss? Assessing Your Oral Health Needs
Why Floss?
Flossing is an essential part of any oral care routine. Brushing and rinsing on their own are not adequate to remove food debris or clean the areas between your teeth. Using a flossing device to clean between your teeth removes plaque while preventing cavities and gum disease.
If your dental routine does not regularly and adequately remove plaque, it can harden into tartar that requires professional help to remove.
Helpful tip: Even when you practise proper oral hygiene, it's important to schedule regular appointments with your dental health professional.
How to Floss Properly
The most important part of using a flossing device in your dental routine is that you actually use it. No matter what type of floss you prefer, making it a daily habit and doing it correctly will be great steps for your oral health.
Some helpful tips for effective flossing:
- Floss once a day when you have the time to be thorough, whether it’s after a meal, before bed, or at another time convenient to you.
- Don’t reuse floss as it won’t be as effective and could contain bacteria.
- Flossing before or after brushing both work great as long as you give it the proper attention.
How to floss, as suggested by National Dental Centre Singapore, a member of the SingHealth group:
- Do one gap at a time, and use a fresh section of floss for each gap. When flossing is done properly and gums are healthy, there should be no bleeding. For front teeth, cut an arm's length of floss and coil it around each middle finger.
- Adjust the “active” length to between 4cm and 5cm for front teeth, and 10cm for back ones.
- Using both hands, hold the floss with the thumbs and index fingers, and gently slide the floss between two teeth. Move it gently down in a sawing motion.
- Be careful not to push the floss aggressively down on the gum as it will hurt or traumatise the gum. Once between the teeth, curve the floss around the tooth and gently floss the sides of each tooth. This includes using the floss to scoop under the gum line, where bacteria can reside.
- For back teeth, lengthen the floss, secure both ends with the middle fingers before using the index fingers to push the middle portion of the floss upwards to form a U-shaped curve, which helps to manoeuvre it better.
Helpful tip: Flossing can be uncomfortable for some but should not be painful or cause excessive bleeding when done regularly. If you experience pain when flossing, we recommend that you schedule an appointment with a dental professional.
How Waxed and Unwaxed Floss Differ
Waxed floss is exactly what the name suggests, regular string floss with a wax coating. Is waxed or unwaxed floss more effective? The good news is no reputable research has found differences in the effectiveness of either. Both waxed and unwaxed floss are great choices for most!
At the end of the day, we recommend using the floss that feels best to you. Because the biggest contributor to flossing's effectiveness is based on doing it as a part of your daily routine, you should select the type you’re most likely to use. We recommend trying out both and seeing which one you prefer.
Some differences between waxed and unwaxed floss:
- Feel: You may have a strong opinion about how waxed or unwaxed floss feels in your mouth.
- Manoeuvrability: You might find waxed floss easier to slide up and down the side of your tooth for an effective clean.
- Thickness: You may find waxed floss to be too thick or normal floss to be easier to slide in between your teeth.
- Braces: If you have braces, you might have an easier time positioning waxed floss between braces. Some find that their braces fray unwaxed floss more easily than the waxed variety. You might also prefer to use a floss threader for an easier time moving between the wires and brackets of your braces.
- Adverse reactions: In rare cases, some have an adverse reaction to the materials used in treated floss, so it’s best to avoid these if you do.
Fun fact: Floss was originally made from strands of silk fibres.
It can be challenging to navigate the incredible variety of dental products available; floss is no exception. When it comes to waxed vs. unwaxed floss, both are fantastic options as long as you take the time to use them properly every day. You’re now prepared to make great use of your dental routine to help prevent gum disease and tooth decay.
