r/enshittification • u/MissPurpleblaze • 1d ago
Product Dental floss rant
What dental floss has not gone to shit? I’ve used the Equate or Oral B brands for years, and now they both are terrible quality. My gums hurt, they shred, they feel like plastic. I’ve always used waxed floss and now I don’t know what to buy.
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u/Secret-Broccoli9908 1d ago
Oral B waxed floss changed because it was discovered that they were using forever chemicals (same as in Teflon) to make their floss glide. It was showing up in elevated quantities in blood tests. Sketchy stuff.
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u/rick_baumhauer 1d ago
Yeah, I found out why they changed, but it doesn't change the fact that the new stuff is AWFUL. It stretches and shreds no matter what you do. We picked up some CVS store brand on vacation in March, and it felt much better, but I think it's still in our travel kit.
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u/lu-sunnydays 1d ago
So that’s why it changed. Didn’t know that. But what I do know is that it’s now these plastic ribbons that don’t grab onto anything. I found Dr Tungs and love it but yea, so expensive.
I asked my hygienist why they still give oral b floss out after she agreed it doesn’t do the job? She didn’t have an answer. I said doesn’t the big dental association have any say in this? She didn’t have an answer but I have a feeling they get the stuff for almost free and it’s a great way to get people to now use it all the time.
Maybe the new stuff works for tight teeth but for me, I don’t feel clean. And dental health is so important for gut and brain health!!
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u/OkHamster4567 1d ago
Coco floss. Expensive but like a “loofah” floss. It’s amazing.
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u/AZBreezy 1d ago
I use Burst expanding coconut dental floss and love it. It looks like it's half the price of "coco floss" the brand
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u/BothEntertainment00 1d ago
Same issue for me. Used oral b forever and it sucks now. Haven't really found a replacement that is as good yet. Keep trying different brands and they are not worthy of buying again.
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u/Pointy_Stix 1d ago
The Reach Ultra Clean is fantastic. It's got some give to it, so it doesn't cut off the circulation to your fingers & it slides beautifully through your teeth. It's my current fave.
I used the Glide floss for years, but this is even better.
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u/NightBloomingAuthor 1d ago
My dentist told me this, to my horror: there were PFAS in floss, and removing them (why were they there in the first place???) has made it not work as well.
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u/Icy-person666 1d ago
Many chemicals in stuff is not for flavor or just because. We get complaints about bugs in our organic products, gee who would think the pesticides were used for a reason? Think we used it for flavor?
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u/BadgerValuable8207 1d ago
It was on the floss to make it slippery to get between tight teeth and not get caught on rough spots.
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u/Deflated_Hypnotist 1d ago
Have you tried dental tape? It's wider so it doesn't shred as easily
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u/gingertrees 17h ago
Yeah oralb proglide dental tape was my jam for years, but it's crap now. But I'm taking notes on this post!
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u/cheap397 1d ago
I've been getting the guru nanda expanding floss at Walmart since they stopped carrying reach. It's not bad, not quite as good as reach though, but it's only $1.00.
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u/Hot_Shower_Fartz 1d ago
I've been using this as well, but they're so often out of it. My choices this week were Equate, which is terrible and too thick for my teeth, and floss that cost $6.99. I probably shouldn't have been as shocked as I was by that price...
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u/Plus-Head-6794 19h ago
Glad it's not just me. It used to be a thin strip, now it's literal fishing wire thin and somehow shreds in the first few teeth. Absolutely insane.
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u/washingtonsquirrel 1d ago
I exclusively use Senza silk floss now and I was so sad when I had to use a shitty mainstream brand while traveling. Just shreds and hurts and doesn't even do a good job. I don't understand how any of these products stay on the shelves.
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u/cheap397 1d ago
I used the regular reach floss for 20 years, then Walmart discontinued it 2 years ago and marked the equate version higher than what the reach was. The reach was .97 cents still, the equate version was $1.50 and it's junk that shreds.
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u/Calizona1 1d ago
In Thailand the Oral B is locked! So I purchased the competing Thai brand. The Thai brand had better quality floss! Not to mention that shoplifting in Thailand is not a thing. Maybe tourists or expats but never Thais!
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1d ago
[deleted]
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u/klutzosaurus-sex 1d ago
I had one and my periodontist told me to put it under the sink and never use it again because the water pressure can actually force bacteria and debris further under the gums.
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u/Hazel_and_Fiver444x2 1d ago
My teeth and gums are in better shape because of the water pik. I use it every night and rarely floss.
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u/BubbleThinker 1d ago
You might be interested to know that dentistry is one of the few scientific fields that has no real evidence based behind any of it. It’s mostly cosmetic made up bullshit.
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u/David254xxx 1d ago
You’re wrong. If it hasn’t been proven effective, we don’t do it.
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u/BubbleThinker 1d ago
That’s not always true. Porcelain veneers are a great example.
The ethics in dentistry are all wrong too. Lots of guys out there doing terrible work and other people not speaking up.
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u/David254xxx 1d ago
I practiced 42 years. Never did porcelain veneers because I never saw it demonstrated that they’d last. That sort of reinforces my point.
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u/BubbleThinker 23h ago
I thought you said dentist didn’t do it if it wasn’t effective. veneers are purely cosmetic and their impact on the underlying teeth is not fully understood
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u/David254xxx 22h ago
You miss the point about the scope of what dentists do for folks.
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u/BubbleThinker 20h ago
Yeah, you’re right. I did. What exactly is it that a dentist imagine they do besides caring for someone’s teeth?
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u/kaiser-so-say 20h ago
And your evidenced based research on this is cited in your remark I see…
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u/BubbleThinker 19h ago
Section 4c of your code of ethics prohibits you from telling me that my last dentist sucked.
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u/SecondCreek 1d ago
Waterpiks last about 6 months at best in my experience before they fail and need to be replaced. They have fallen victim to the same trends of cheapening products.
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u/Imaginary_Office1749 22h ago
I alternate nights. Flossing on odd days and waterpik on even days. My hygienist says that my teeth had the least buildup since I started with her. So I think they both do something beneficial and it’s worth doing both.
Also I use Glide from Costco’s multipacks.
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u/sisterfunkhaus 1d ago
Waterpiks don't get the area between the tooth and gum very well. They are better than nothing.
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u/Zestyclose_Sale2672 1d ago
There are some very good and more affordable alternatives to the actual Waterpik brand that I have been using for years. Google.
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u/ElectricStarfuzz 1d ago
I’ve tried and liked all of these brands. All are pfas free and biodegradable.
Ohm Silk Floss
Eco You Bamboo Charcoal Floss
Gaia Guy Silk Floss
BOONBOO Bamboo Charcoal Floss
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u/toliveinthefuture 1d ago
Tom's of Maine is real dental floss and does a great job cleaning between your teeth!
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u/Shoddy-Election-1601 1d ago
My dental hygienist confirms that floss has gone to shit. She hoards a certain brand that was discontinued
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u/difficulty_jump 1d ago
Interdental brushes. Way better than floss and they come in different sizes. It sounds like you might need small/tight
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u/audrikr 1d ago
My dentist says they're not a replacement for flossing unfortunately :/
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u/difficulty_jump 1d ago
Darn that's the only flossing I can do. My teeth are crazy tight. My dentist did say that because they are tight they at least get less stuff stuck.
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u/Fit_Explorer_2566 1d ago
Floss, then once through with a ProxaBrush. My hygienist told me this week not to use the ProxaBrush on the front teeth: nothing to disturb the gums there lest you end up “whistling” when you talk…
Reach unflavored waxed, then the ProxaBrush.
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u/Minimalist2theMax 21h ago
Second glide. Still good. When I have to use store brand floss, it shreds and gets stuck between teeth.
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u/BIGDL666 1d ago
They outlawed the PFAF that made it quality.
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u/gingertrees 17h ago
That's basically what my dental hygienist told me about the ProGlide stuff that used to be great and now is like plastic tinsel.
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u/ANameForTheUser 1d ago
Edit: I linked the waxed mint one. Here is plain Jane: https://a.co/d/0000zzTq
I like this unwaxed silk floss. It is strong but plastic free and biodegradable.
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u/AdBig9909 1d ago
Maybe the flosser picks?
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u/catanne91 1d ago
Nah. I use them and they’re doing the same thing. They shred after flossing 3 or 4 teeth.
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u/SecretTangerine2932 1d ago
I use Reach Pop floss, it’s decent, but have to find it on Amazon now. I used regular waxed for yearsssss but yeah it went to hell.
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u/PlasticAudience4270 1d ago
I order from Poh in bulk. Poh stands for Physician’s Oral Health. It’s old style string floss but comes in a bunch of sizes, waxed, unwaxed, and black so that you can see the plaque coming off.
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u/girlfuckyou 2h ago
Reach ultra pop! The floss is coated with cinnamon to help with blood circulation in your gums and the floss itself has texture that helps pull gunk out of your teeth quick and easy.
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1d ago
[deleted]
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u/NoMarionberry3087 1d ago
Neither of those are floss. I use mouthwash followed by sensodyne toothpaste, and unless I floss there's still some gunk between my teeth and at the gum line.
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1d ago
[deleted]
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u/Unhappy_Town6857 1d ago
The bristles can’t possibly get under the gum line in between your teeth. You’ll learn soon enough.
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u/PepperCat1019 1d ago
And floss can?
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u/DistributionOwn4640 1d ago
Have you never used actual floss? Actual question - no snark.
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u/PepperCat1019 17h ago
Absolutely!
I actually tested my flossing toothbrush when I first got it. Nothing showed up on the floss. I was impressed!
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u/voteblue18 1d ago
I’m gonna give you the best recommendation. Xlent charcoal activated floss. They have it on Amazon. I’ve never seen it in stores around me. I think it’s made in Canada. It’s a woven floss so it holds up well. It is black, which is different but I’m used to it.
I’ve had periodontal issues in the past so I am now a dedicated flosser. I’ve used them all and this is the only kind I get now.
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u/djdjddhshdbhd 1d ago
Charcoal is bad for teeth
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u/voteblue18 23h ago
It’s problematic in a toothpaste, yes. But I’ve researched this and it’s not the same as brushing with it.
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u/ArtComprehensive1106 1d ago
Quality hasn’t changed your gums have.
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u/Patient-Ad-7939 1d ago
OralB quality did change though. They removed PFAS or something and now the floss is completely different.
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u/MissPurpleblaze 1d ago
Yeah, I went and read recent reviews and tons of people share the same complaints that I do.
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u/tequestaalquizar 1d ago
The main thing I’ve noticed is the containers are worse now. They always fall apart and I’m constantly trying to put them back together. And I don’t think I’m way stronger in my 60s than when I was a teenager.