My dentist recommends the water pick over flossing, probably because people are far more likely to use that than floss. It may be less effective than regular flossing, but I'm certain it's more effective than rarely flossing.

She also recommended I upgrade to an electric toothbrush, but all the ones I tried tickled my cheeks, gums, and lips so bad it was unbearable. Turns out most of them just vibrate, but there are ones with rotational heads similar to what dentists use when cleaning your teeth. I snagged an Oral-B 1000 Pro on sale for under $40 and it's a game changer - no tickling, teeth feel ultra clean, and it's dirt cheap for a quality electric toothbrush.