You’ll know you have gaps if a normal dental floss slides in very easily, and you see ample space around it. The most likely reason for gaps is you’ve had teeth removed or you had a large amount of tartar (calculus) that was removed by your dentist after scaling and cleaning. Or you could just naturally have larger spaces between your teeth. You may also need it if you’ve had bridge work.

The kind you choose won’t make a difference to how your teeth are flossed, as long as you are flossing. [4] X Trustworthy Source American Dental Association World’s largest dental professional organization and advocate for proper oral health Go to source One benefit of unwaxed floss is that it makes squeaking noises against clean teeth, so it helps you know when your teeth are clean. [5] X Research source It’s important to use waxed if you have braces, as unwaxed is more easily tangled in your teeth. [6] X Research source

The nylon version is more common, and it’s what’s mostly used in generic flosses; therefore, it’s cheaper. If you have fillings that are not properly adapted between your teeth or if there are small pieces of tartar, the multifilament floss will come out worn off, even after a single use. This can be a good sign that you need to see your dentist. The single filament version hasn’t been around as long, so it’s more expensive; however, some people feel like it glides more easily. Also, it’s stronger than the nylon version, so if you have problems with floss ripping, it’s a better bet.

Floss picks may not work quite as well as regular floss because they limit the angles you at which you can floss. On the other hand, they can make it easier to floss further back in your mouth where it is harder to reach holding the floss with both hands, especially if you have a small mouth opening.

Make sure the handle is long enough so you can reach teeth in the back. Also, look for a smaller head, as that will make it easier to get into hard-to-reach places.

Water flossers are highly recommended in patients that have dental implants, braces, crowns or bridges.