Floss
Are you one of those people who doesn’t floss as directed? I was, too…and then I got Invisalign. I used a water flosser for years but wasn’t consistent with traditional floss. Your hygienist isn’t misleading you, though; if you’re avoiding flossing due to discomfort or bleeding then consistent, daily flossing will make that go away after a brief adjustment period.
Oral-B Pro-Health Deep Clean (silver pack!)
In my mind, there’s only one floss. There are several in this line, including a Pro-Health Multi-Protection Floss sold in bulk packs at Costco. Unfortunately, that one is nowhere near as good (it shreds) as the Pro-Health Deep Clean.
WaterPik Water Flosser
I’ve been using a WaterPik water flosser for years because the crowding I am now correcting with Invisalign made it hard to be as thorough as I needed to. Water flossers do not replace products like the Oral-B mentioned above but they:
- enable you to use less floss (which saves money and produces less waste material)
- get between crowded or difficult teeth in a way that conventional floss can’t
- enhance the clean your oral hygiene routine provides
The Bottom Line
Although I hated it and was not as compliant as I should have been before Invisalign, I’m a flossing believer now. If you aren’t flossing, seriously, you need to be. I won’t try to tell you that it is anything shy of tedious and unpleasant but it IS super important for the health of your mouth. And as far as the WaterPik goes? It is badass, I loved it before I started Invisalign treatment. I even have a portable one (YES REALLY) for travel that I got when I bought my most-recent flosser at Costco. That set is currently sold out but comes back in stock every so often.