With all the different types of dental floss available, it can be difficult to decide which one is best for you. Some people prefer unwaxed dental floss because it’s easier to thread between their teeth and they don’t need to worry about accidentally swallowing wax. However, if you’re new to unwaxed floss, you may have trouble finding it in your local stores.
In this article, we’ll explain why you can’t find unwaxed dental floss in stores, how to order it online if you can’t find it locally, and how using unwaxed dental floss will help improve your oral health!
In this article, we’ll discuss what’s dental floss and best unwaxed dental floss.
What’s Dental Floss
Dental floss is a cable made of thin filaments that is used for interdental cleaning to remove food particles and dental plaque from areas between teeth where a toothbrush cannot or only has trouble cleaning. Its routine usage as part of dental hygiene is intended to preserve oral health.
To avoid plaque accumulation and gingivitis, flossing is advised.
According to the American Dental Association, flossing can eliminate up to 80% of plaque, and it may be especially beneficial for people wearing orthodontic appliances.
Yet, there is still a dearth of empirical scientific evidence supporting the clinical advantage of using floss in addition to regular brushing.
Choosing from the variety of flossing devices available can be overwhelming. Cleaning between your teeth using string floss, dental picks, water flossers, or interdental brushes is a vital part of any oral care routine. Many people prefer the classic form of flossing, but how does waxed dental floss stack up vs. unwaxed? You’ll soon have an understanding of what makes flossing effective and how to maintain a healthy smile.

Why Floss?
Flossing is an essential part of any oral care routine. Brushing and rinsing on their own are not adequate to remove food debris or clean the areas between your teeth. Using a flossing device to clean between your teeth removes plaque while preventing cavities and gum disease.
If your dental routine does not regularly and adequately remove plaque, it can harden into tartar that requires professional help to remove.
Helpful tip: Even when you practice proper oral hygiene, it’s important to schedule regular appointments with your dental health professional.
How to Floss Properly
The most important part of using a flossing device in your dental routine is that you actually use it. No matter what type of floss you prefer, making it a daily habit and doing it correctly will be great steps for your oral health.
Some helpful tips for effective flossing:
- Floss once a day when you have the time to be thorough, whether it’s after a meal, before bed, or at another time convenient to you.
- Don’t reuse floss as it won’t be as effective and could contain bacteria.
- Flossing before or after brushing both work great as long as you give it the proper attention.
How to floss, according to the American Dental Association:
- Use 18 inches of floss and wrap it around your middle fingers. Wind up more of the floss on one finger as you use it.
- Hold the floss taut between your thumbs and fingers.
- Gently maneuver the floss between your teeth without forcing or snapping it into place.
- Press the floss down to your gumline and then curve it into a C-shape to wrap around the tooth. Softly push it between your gums and tooth.
- Clean the tooth by gently moving the floss up and down its side.
Helpful tip: Flossing can be uncomfortable for some but should not be painful or cause excessive bleeding when done regularly. If you experience pain when flossing, we recommend that you schedule an appointment with a dental professional.
How Waxed and Unwaxed Floss Differ
Waxed floss is exactly what the name suggests, regular string floss with a wax coating. Is waxed or unwaxed floss more effective? The good news is no reputable research has found differences in the effectiveness of either. Both waxed and unwaxed floss are great choices for most!
At the end of the day, we recommend using the floss that feels best to you. Because the biggest contributor to flossing’s effectiveness is based on doing it as a part of your daily routine, you should select the type you’re most likely to use. We recommend trying out both and seeing which one you prefer.
Some differences between waxed and unwaxed floss:
- Feel: You may have a strong opinion about how waxed or unwaxed floss feels in your mouth.
- Maneuverability: You might find waxed floss easier to slide up and down the side of your tooth for an effective clean.
- Thickness: You may find waxed floss to be too thick or normal floss to be easier to slide in between your teeth.
- Braces: If you have braces, you might have an easier time positioning waxed floss between braces. Some find that their braces fray unwaxed floss more easily than the waxed variety. You might also prefer to use a floss threader for an easier time moving between the wires and brackets of your braces.
- Adverse reactions: In rare cases, some have an adverse reaction to the materials used in treated floss, so it’s best to avoid these if you do.
Fun fact: Floss was originally made from strands of silk fibers.
It can be challenging to navigate the incredible variety of dental products available; floss is no exception. When it comes to waxed vs. unwaxed floss, both are fantastic options as long as you take the time to use them properly every day. You’re now prepared to make great use of your dental routine to help prevent gum disease and tooth decay.
Benefits of waxed floss
- Waxed floss features a wax that covers a thin nylon string. This wax can be flavored to make for a more pleasant flossing experience, depending on the exact kind of floss you’re using.
- Waxed floss is relatively sturdier than other unwaxed flosses. If your teeth have sharp corners, awkward angles, or small spaces when flossing your teeth, the added strength of waxed floss can be very beneficial. Also, waxed floss won’t fray or break easily while it’s in use.
- It is greatly suitable for and preferred by those with braces. Braces have metal fixtures which can easily snag un-waxed floss. Fortunately, waxed floss is stiffer. It’ll be easier to thread waxed floss around braces and various other dental fixtures.
- Waxed floss has a slippery texture. That makes it easier for this floss to slide in between the teeth. It’d prove appreciably useful for those whose teeth are crowded close together.
Disadvantages of waxed floss
- The slippery texture of waxed floss is both an upside and downside as well. Some people might prefer unwaxed floss. That’s because the uncoated floss is thinner and consequently easier to fit into smaller spaces.
- Some people also find the waxy feel of this floss type somehow disturbing. It can also be difficult to attain a tight grip, although that’s dependent on how you hold the floss.
Is Waxed Floss Right for You?
The answer is entirely dependent on your personal preferences, as well as the performance of various flosses in your case. When choosing floss, it’s also necessary that you consider other factors aside from the coating. For instance, it’d be better to consider making use of dental tape instead of dental floss if you’ve large spaces between your teeth. Dental tape is much wider and would eliminate plaque from areas that would only be grazed by regular dental floss.
As well, you can opt for flavored waxed floss. Some people choose mint or cinnamon flavors to make their flossing experience more enjoyable, in addition to getting a refreshing clean breath. Test the performance of one floss type against another by yourself to find the floss that suits you best. Regardless of the floss type you choose, daily flossing is strongly recommended for all individuals. It’s an incredibly useful part of maintaining a healthy mouth.
What are the Pros and Cons of Unwaxed Floss?
Pros of using unwaxed floss to clean teeth include its ease of use on crowded teeth, lack of flavor and simple grip. Cons include it not being as sturdy as waxed floss and the difficulty with passing it through the teeth.
Unwaxed floss tends to be quite thin. Many people with crowded teeth, therefore, find it the easiest type of floss to use. One may find it is able to fit between the tightest of spaces, where food and plaque may be trapped most often.
Some individuals prefer unwaxed floss because it typically has no flavor. While waxed floss may taste like mint or cinnamon, for example, these flavors could seem too artificial for some people’s liking. As flossing is often times the last step in one’s daily dental hygiene routine, this unwanted taste could linger. Unwaxed floss does not usually present this potential problem.
Others find that unwaxed floss is the easiest type to grip between the fingers. For this reason, less floss might be used each time. Individuals tend to use more floss when it is slippery, so that they may wrap the product around the fingers several times for better control. This may not be necessary when using an unwaxed product.
There are potential downfalls to using unwaxed floss as well. It is usually not as sturdy as waxed floss. Floss is made of several pieces of nylon string thread together; these threads may begin to fray without a coating of wax to keep them intact. Breakage or snapping may occur during use.
The wax on floss is meant to make gliding through the teeth and over dental fixtures easier. When floss is not waxed, it may not slide as well through tight spaces. Dental work such as bridges or orthodontic braces may present problems if one is using floss that is not waxed. In these situations, a wider dental tape or expanding floss made of sturdier, stretchier unwaxed materials may work better than unwaxed floss could.
The choice of which type of floss to use is mostly a matter of personal preference. Flossing with correct form is perhaps more important than the differences between unwaxed or waxed floss. One should take care not to snap the floss in between spaces, which could result in cutting the gums and leaving them open to infection. Instead, it is important to try to ease the floss into a space and gently cover the surfaces of the teeth and gums thoroughly.
Best Unwaxed Dental Floss
- Cocofloss is the hygienist’s preferred dental floss.
In the Dental Professionals team, several hygienists gushed about this product and personally use it as their go-to floss at home. The coconut-based material has a thick, fibrous feel. Zhanna loves the diversity of tastes and appreciates that it doesn’t shred. She claims that “it comes in mint, various fruit flavors, chocolate, and even gelato.” The flavors are agreeable but not overbearing, according to the crew. Cocofloss, according to Daniella, is her “ultimate favorite. I’ve tried a lot of brands, but Cocofloss is my go-to. For convenient refills, Cocofloss provides subscriptions. The main drawbacks highlighted were that it might be challenging to apply in very tight contacts between teeth due to thickness and that it can be difficult to get in retailers. Moreover, it is PFAS, SLS, paraben, and cruelty-free!
- Johnson & Johnson Listerine Floss, a traditional brand favorite (formerly Reach Floss)
If Johnson and Johnson’s Listerine Floss wasn’t one of our hygienist’s favorite flosses, it was Cocofloss (formerly called Reach Dental Floss). Having worked as a hygienist for Dental Professionals for 22 years, Carrie uses this as her own floss because she believes “the lighter wax coating washes off plaque better.” Hygienist Ator, who has worked with us for over ten years, remarked of Listerine Floss, “I appreciate how it stretches. It’s a fave of mine!
- Using Dental Floss to Remove Tight Contacts: Glide Pro-Health by Oral-B
Glide floss is popular for a reason because of how smoothly it goes between teeth. It has a small coating of natural wax to improve grip and is efficient at removing plaque. It also softly stimulates gums.
The ideal dental floss to use with braces or bridges is: Superfloss
For patients wearing traditional braces, bonded wire retainers, or bridges to replace lost teeth, superfloss is a crucial tool. Each piece of Superfloss is divided into three sections: a rigid end for simple threading, a bit that is thicker and more spongy, and a section that is “normal” floss. The pre-measured, multi-pack parts are available. There is nothing better, and we even use these in the office for the same patients!
- Boka Floss Is The Finest Dental Gluten-Free & Vegan Floss
Boka Floss is made of vegetable wax and is free of PTFE (also known as Teflon) and petroleum. Elizabeth, one of our hygienists, adores it and claims that it offers a “thorough, pleasant clean.” Boka offers memberships in addition to one-time purchases so you never run out, much like companies like Quip (which I don’t actually endorse) or Cocofloss.
The ideal dental floss for acclaim seekers is: Italian-made Dr. Tung’s Smart Floss Dr. Tung’s Smart Floss is free of gluten, PTFE, and BPA and comes in a biodegradable container that is lightly waxed with vegetable and beeswax. We warned you that this product was for ambitious people because it even claims to remove up to 55% more plaque than standard waxed or PTFE floss. Internal research on brand variations in plaque removal, according to Dr. Jacobs, “may be taken with a grain of salt, but our patients who have tried Dr. Tung’s have found it to be very helpful.”
Risewell Floss is the best clean dental floss.
While looking for chemical-free or natural flosses, there are countless options. But, these three flosses (Boka, Dr. Tung, and Risewell) have been thoroughly examined and approved by our experts after being put to the test. Risewell is particularly distinctive because it offers dental floss that has been impregnated with hydroxyapatite. This floss is intended to assist remineralize the surfaces between teeth, which is a crucial step in preventing tooth decay from eating acid. It doesn’t contain PTFE or petroleum and has vegan wax.
- The Humble Co. Floss Picks’ “Best Soft Pick”
Our hygienist Elizabeth suggests The Humble Co. floss picks for patients who want soft picks. These picks have two forms for easier access, are double-threaded for better plaque removal, and are made of environmentally safe corn starch.
- Beneficial for Those Who Cannot or Don’t Want to Floss: The Oral Irrigator with Hydro Floss
In our office, we are so confident in the success of oral irrigators that we provide one to EVERY patient undergoing Perio 360 gum disease therapy. Interestingly, we’ve also found that a large proportion of patients who, for a variety of reasons, just cannot incorporate flossing into their daily practice like oral irrigators nearly unanimously. We mostly suggest Hydro Floss irrigators since they use magnets to ionize water, which reduces plaque and calculus buildup according to studies.
- The Cordless Waterpik Water Flosser Is The Greatest Small Irrigator Alternative.
This tool, like the Hydro Floss, is excellent for people who are unable to incorporate routine flossing into their lives. There are several variations of this product offered by Waterpik, but this one is particularly useful for people who might not stay in the same area every night or who don’t have a lot of counter space.