My dentist told me to start flossing, and I lasted two days with string before giving up. So I went down the water flosser rabbit hole and tested five of them. The one I kept was not the fanciest or the most expensive, it was the one that did not sound like a jet engine in my bathroom.

Why Noise Mattered More Than I Expected

A water flosser runs a small pump, and some of them are loud enough to wake the whole house. Since I floss before bed, the noisy ones made me rush through it. The quiet one I kept lets me actually take my time, which is the whole point.

What I Compared

• Pressure settings. A gentler low setting matters if you have sensitive gums.
• Tank size. A small tank runs out mid session, which gets annoying.
• Noise level. This ended up being my deciding factor.

What I Learned

Water flossers do not fully replace string floss, but they get the job done if you would not floss at all otherwise. Start on the lowest pressure, aim at the gum line, and lean over the sink or you will spray the mirror. It took me a week to stop making a mess.

My dentist noticed the difference at my next visit, and that was worth every penny.