Kids That Can't Floss: Are Floss Picks the Answer?

Posted on: 30 June 2018

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There comes a time when dentists tell children that they should add flossing to their dental hygiene routine. While parents may start to do this for them and with them to start with, once kids hit the age of around 10, they should be able to take over and floss for themselves. This isn't always as easy as you might think, however.

Some kids find it hard to use regular floss—they may end up not flossing effectively or may simply just give up trying. If your child is finding floss hard to handle, then you might help them do a better job by getting them to use floss picks. How can picks help?

Less Effort Flossing

Some kids find it difficult to use regular dental floss. For example, they may find it tricky to get the floss out of the box, to cut it to the right length and then to get the right tension to manipulate it between their teeth. Using a floss pick involves far less effort. The floss is already set in the pick at the right tension level; all your child has to do is to use the pick handle to push the floss up between the teeth and then take it out again.

Better Access to Hard-to-Reach Areas

Some kids don't have a problem flossing their front teeth but run into difficulties when it comes to teeth that are harder to reach. For example, your child may not find it easy to floss their back teeth—having to use two hands to hold regular floss while you're trying to push your mouth out of the way can make it hard to access the back of the mouth. The fact that you hold a floss pick in one hand and have the handle as a guide simply makes it easier to floss at the back.

Getting Floss Out

Sometimes, when you use regular floss, it can get temporarily stuck between your teeth. This can make some kids a little panicky—they may also worry abut damaging their teeth and gums if they have to saw the floss back, forth and down to free it up. Getting a grip on stuck floss can also be a problem. If this happens to your child, then the extra leverage that a floss pick's handle provides may help your child pull out the floss with less fuss.

Tip: While older kids shouldn't have a problem using adult floss picks, younger ones may find them a bit big to hold and control. Buying floss picks designed for younger kids may be a good idea.

Even though floss picks are a good alternative to regular floss, they only work if they are used effectively. It's worth mentioning your child's flossing problems to your dentist, even if you've switched to using picks, so that your dentist can keep an eye on their teeth to check they are flossing correctly. Contact a dental office for additional advice.