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​We all know that flossing is important. 

Daily flossing is a core part of a good oral hygiene routine. It gets food debris out and prevents gum disease. 

And I’ve written elsewhere about how getting to good oral health after a bout with bad breath was super important for me.

But the truth is…some people can’t floss. And it’s pointless to beat them up about it, or for them to beat themselves up about it. We’re lucky to live in a time where there’s a lot of alternatives to traditional flossing, and this post will go over the best alternatives to flossing! 

There are a lot of reasons someone might not be able or willing to floss: mobility or grip challenges, sensory needs, mental health reasons, or just an aversion to how it feels. Whatever the reason: the best flossing alternative is the one that you can stick with and use. So, here’s a no-judgement guide to the best flossing alternatives that can help you maintain or improve your dental health. 

Sensory issues and flossing

I grew up with an autistic sibling. For as long as I could remember, my parents had to forcibly floss his teeth. It was a sensory trigger for him, and it was horrible for everyone involved. 

As his younger sister, I was so afraid of flossing — I remember when my parents started to expect me to floss my teeth, I was terrified, expecting a lot of pain. It didn’t pan out that way for me. But for my brother, it was a huge amount of suffering. I feel terrible for him when I think back on it, because it was so avoidable. 

When my brother was about eleven, my parents got him a water flosser. It still wasn’t great, but he used it religiously for fear they would go back to the traditional string floss. The water flosser was a big expense for the family at that time, but it was just about the only good option available at that time. 

I understand why my folks felt it was so important for him to floss, but I don’t think the choices that they made were the only way to help their high-needs kid. (If you are here because you’re an autism parent, there’s a great guide out there for meeting the needs of autistic dental patients! It’s aimed at dentists, but it can give parents some home tips and also some ideas for what to ask for in a dental office.) A lot of neurodivergent people like my brother struggle with flossing, either because of the stimulation or the difficulty of sticking to a routine.

Other barriers to flossing 

Flossing with standard floss also requires a level of fine motor dexterity that some people may struggle to develop, or that we might lose with age. People who were previously able to floss may struggle to do so later in life. There’s also a degree of strength required to to keep your arms up long enough to floss.

Alternately, with mental health or motivation challenges, flossing can just feel like too much. A simpler or faster alternative can be the best thing to get these people flossing. 

Best flossing alternatives 

Floss picks

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Okay, okay, I know some people are going to say, “no, girl, this is still flossing”. And I totally get that for some people, this is still going to be way too close. 

But– if you’re struggling to floss because of challenges with mobility, grip, or holding string floss taut, these disposable plastic picks can get you back in action. Pre-threaded flossers remove some of the control or hand strength required with conventional floss, so if that’s what’s giving you a hard time, dental floss picks can do the job. 

​I like the ones linked above because of the double thread of floss — it makes a big difference in actually pulling all that stuff out. 

It’s worth nothing that you shouldn’t use floss picks on either side of a dental crown. Pulling floss straight down next to a crown risks pulling it out. I have a crown on one of my top molars. I just use the pick that’s built into the handle on either side of that tooth. 

​Water flossers/Waterpik

I wrote a bunch about water flossers v flossing here: Waterpik vs. Flossing – What to Use When For Perfect Teeth

But if you’re looking for the short version: water flossing (or “oral irrigation” if you’re fancy) is an excellent alternative to flossing. A waterpik water flosser has that name recognition! But I buy the inexpensive travel one linked above and replace it every year. (If you have a waterpik and it’s getting a weird smell, I wrote about that here. Bad Smell When Using Waterpik – How to Tell The Causes)

Water flossers are an electronic device that shoots a steady stream of water out. This sprays off any plaque buildup or food particles from the gum line or between the teeth. 

Dentists used to say that a water flosser wasn’t quite as good as flossing, but more recent publications from the American Dental Association have approved them as “interdental cleaners“. So, rather than water flossers being an alternative to regular floss, regular floss is now just one variety of interdental cleaner that you can use. Sounds like approval to me! 

For someone who’s having a sensory issue with floss and can’t or won’t floss, it’s a good idea to start with an inexpensive water flosser so you can have the experience. (If you see your dentist, you can also ask them to water floss you and see how it feels!) Water flossing is a great alternative if your sensory challenge is in response to feeling something physically touch the gums. 

And for people who are struggling with mental health — the water flosser tends to be faster than actually flossing! So it might feel like less of a mental load or an “extra” task. It’s also quite toothbrush-like in a way that traditional dental floss isn’t. It’s an easier win that gets the job done. 

​Interdental brushes

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These little brushes are another good alternative to string floss, especially if you have braces or dental work. You can wiggle them between your teeth and get that same beneficial physical scrub that you’d get from regular floss. 

They’re small brushes, so depending on your dexterity issues, they may or may not be easier than string floss. If your struggle with floss is gripping the thin string, this will probably be an improvement. But if threading the brush head into the tight spaces between your teeth is a challenge, this may not be an improvement. 

The same is true for folks with sensory issues. If the thought of bristles on sensitive gums has you, well, bristling, this might not be right for you. But the brushes won’t feel the same way that floss feels as it slides up and into the gum tissue, so some people might like this better. 

And for people where the struggle is getting up to do it, you may find this faster than flossing. 

(Reviewers note that these brushes don’t have to be one-time use! If you choose to reuse them, disinfect them in peroxide between uses.) 

(Certain) picks

Wooden toothpicks are not a great choice if you’re looking for alternative methods for flossing! But there are picks designed for the small spaces between your teeth. 

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These little picks have rubbery bristles on the end that will displace any debris between your teeth. These are a gentler floss alternative than the dental brushes above and might be more sensory-friendly. They have a shorter handle than the brushes above. That may be easier for someone who struggles with dexterity to hold and direct between the teeth.

Even if you do tolerate floss, these can be nice to have on hand when you’re out and about and feel something in between your teeth. You can get it out discreetly and then toss the pick. (These aren’t really sturdy enough to reuse.)

Taking the best care of your teeth that you can! 

No matter who you are and what you need, there are effective alternatives that help you avoid gum inflammation and periodontal disease. One of these may be the best alternative to flossing options for you. Remember: the best type of floss is the type you’ll actually use. So if one of these is right for you, don’t feel guilty about not flossing. You should feel proud for figuring out how to take care of yourself your own way!