Full disclosure: I used to be a never-flosser. Even though I went to the dentist consistently and heard the speech every time about flossing, I just never did it. I hated how the string made my hands feel and that the floss was always slipping or getting stuck in between my teeth.

Then, my dentist got really real with me. He explained that my gums were bleeding because of my interdental aversion, and that if I kept on this path it would likely lead to gum disease, which would mean laser surgery. That’s all I needed to hear. I was going to do better.

When told him about my difficulties with floss and even floss sticks, he told me that traditional string floss isn’t for everyone and that, unfortunately, that difficulty sometimes discourages people from flossing at all. As an alternative, he recommended GUM Soft-Picks. All you do is slide them in between your teeth near the gumline and they easily pull out the plaque and dislodge errant food matter. No bits of string snapping off and getting stuck between your teeth, or drool rolling down your hand. Are you in need of an efficient, comfortable floss alternative? Get yourself some Soft-Picks now at Amazon

As promised, I began using these dental picks every day after that rude awakening of an appointment. When I returned for my next check-up six months later, my dentist could not believe how much better my gums looked. There was minimal bleeding as he was doing a routine cleaning, and he said surgery was definitely off the table as long as I continued flossing daily.

Now, I will admit the Soft-Picks took some getting used to. My gums definitely bled for the first few weeks as they got used to being de-gunked for the first time, like, ever. Fortunately, it didn’t last, and before long I became a pro at using the picks. These days, I can basically do it with my eyes closed (which is sometimes the case when I’m using them half asleep at 6 a.m.)

I am not the only person who swears by these dental picks. On Amazon, they’ve garnered an average rating of have 4.7 (out of 5) stars and lots of rave reviews. In the comments, shoppers say they are easy to use, work well and, of course, are dentist-recommended.

“Easy to use and much more durable than regular dental floss,” one shopper commented in their review.

Said this raving reviewer: “My dentist loves the way I take care of my teeth and gums with these things. No splinters, no damage, comfortable to use. I keep some in the bathroom, some in the car, and just try to use at least one a day.”

Whether you hate flossing the traditional way or just don’t floss at all, you should definitely give these affordable dental picks a try. They’re so easy and painless that even my teenage daughter uses them every day.

GUM

If you’re tired of your hands getting all wet and icky when using traditional string floss, make the switch to these life-changing interdental picks.

$24 at Amazon

If you have Amazon Prime, you’ll get free shipping, of course. Not a member yet? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $25 or more.)

The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.