Are Floss Picks and Floss Holders as Good as String Floss?

Q: Who should use a floss holder?

Anyone who finds finger flossing awkward or cannot grip floss well, people with braces, and anyone who tends to skip flossing.

October 20, 2026

Short answer

Yes. In clinical trials, floss picks and handled flossers removed plaque from between the teeth about as well as string floss held in the fingers, and reduced gum bleeding just as much. The American Dental Association lists floss holders and floss picks among its accepted ways to clean between teeth.

What do the studies show?

A 6 week trial of 120 people (2006): string floss was matched in performance by flossers and an interdental cleaner.
A trial of 26 people (2007): a floss pick removed 19.4% of plaque between the teeth, compared with 15% for string floss, and was judged at least as good as floss.
A 30 day trial of 84 people (2005): gum inflammation and bleeding fell significantly with a handled flosser and with manual floss, with no difference between them. Neither caused any damage to the gums.

A University of Texas Health San Antonio review of the 2006 and 2007 trials concluded there was no significant difference between floss picks and traditional floss in removing plaque between the teeth.

What does the American Dental Association say?

It recommends cleaning between your teeth once a day with floss or another interdental cleaner, and names floss holders, floss threaders and floss picks among the options.

Who should use a floss holder?

Anyone who finds finger flossing awkward. Cleveland Clinic notes that picks are a good alternative if you cannot grip floss well. A reusable floss holder holds the floss taut so one hand does the work.
People with braces. The American Dental Association's consumer site notes there are pre-threaded flossers for this. Orthodontic flossers slide under the wire without threading.
Anyone who keeps skipping it. The tool that gets used every day does more than the one left in the drawer.

How do you use a floss holder?

Stretch a length of floss tightly across the holder.
Ease the floss between two teeth with a gentle back and forth motion. Do not snap it down onto the gum.
Curve it against the side of one tooth and slide it up and down, just under the gumline.
Repeat on the neighbouring tooth, then move to the next gap.
Rinse the holder and refresh the floss when it frays.