Why do we tell patients to floss? We want them to remove the bacteria-infested biofilm below the contact point in the gingival sulcus. But despite 200 years of dentists telling their patients to use string floss, only 15% do it daily … and 80%–90% of patients will still get gingivitis or periodontitis.
Why is this? String floss is not user-friendly. String floss scrapes away biofilm from the sides of the tooth but only removes plaque at the exact point the floss makes physical contact. In other words, floss leaves a lot of biofilm behind.
The sheer hydraulic forces produced by Waterpik water flossing cause the the water to flow between teeth up to 6 mm deep into the gingival sulcus, cleaning 99.9% of the surface area. Water flossing contacts the entire interproximal and subgingival surface areas. Multiple peer-reviewed studies of Waterpik water flossing show superior plaque removal and reduction in gingival inflammation over string floss.
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Editor’s note: This article first appeared in Through the Loupes newsletter, a publication of the Endeavor Business Media Dental Group. Read more articles and subscribe to Through the Loupes.
