The Best Floss to Add to Your Daily Regimen, According to a Pro

Every morning, without fail, I begrudgingly head to the bathroom to brush my teeth. I do the same, regardless of what I did throughout the day (stupors included), before I hit the sheets. Sometimes, perhaps thrice a week, I will gargle with mouthwash. But what I often fail to do, to my detriment, is floss.

My mother, Vivian Ward, and every dentist out there have all extolled the importance of flossing. But to give us all a refresher, I reached out to Dr. Stephanie Dumanian from Park Lex 60 Dental in New York. “Flossing is important to maintain healthy gums, to preserve the bone around your teeth and to keep your gums from bleeding,” she says. “It also helps prevent cavities since it removes plaque from those hard-to-reach places.”

Basically, the practice should be added to my daily routine. I know this, but I need to put thought into action. And the place to start is by getting my hands on the best floss out there. According to Dr. Dumanian, most flossing products available are “quite good.” The one characteristic she does say to look out for, however, is the density of the string. “If the flossing product is too thick it can shred, break or leave fiber strands between your teeth,” she says. “Unless you have large gaps in your teeth.”

So, to make sure I’m headed down the right path, I asked the good dentist to give her top recommendations for the best floss. And should you be like me and need to amp up your oral care (or have kiddos that need to learn the importance of flossing regularly), take a look at the list below.