I'll toss in that floss has done practically nothing for me for decades. Getting a waterpik immediately made a huge improvement in just about everything.
(I can't speak to plaque because I can't really measure it myself. But dentists seem to think I'm flossing quite well now. ha.)
I get so much more food junk out of my teeth with the waterpik. Floss never has and still never does remove much of it - even flossing, mouthwashing, and waiting until morning to try the waterpik consistently finds junk that isn't there if I waterpik. I still keep floss handy for getting truly wedged stuff out (it can provide much more force), but it's worthless for me otherwise.
Start out with a cheap one, and start both gentle and pointed across your teeth, not into your gums. It can be much too harsh when you start out. And very clearly mouths vary a lot, so if it doesn't work, it doesn't work - hence, start cheap.
> I still keep floss handy for getting truly wedged stuff out (it can provide much more force), but it's worthless for me otherwise.
One thing I wish I learned earlier on in life - flossing isn't to pull out chunks of food from in between the teeth (although it can do this too) - if you're flossing correctly you're breaking up biofilms formed by bacteria at the gumline.
(I can't speak to plaque because I can't really measure it myself. But dentists seem to think I'm flossing quite well now. ha.)
I get so much more food junk out of my teeth with the waterpik. Floss never has and still never does remove much of it - even flossing, mouthwashing, and waiting until morning to try the waterpik consistently finds junk that isn't there if I waterpik. I still keep floss handy for getting truly wedged stuff out (it can provide much more force), but it's worthless for me otherwise.
Start out with a cheap one, and start both gentle and pointed across your teeth, not into your gums. It can be much too harsh when you start out. And very clearly mouths vary a lot, so if it doesn't work, it doesn't work - hence, start cheap.