What is a Waterpik?
Waterpik is a device that uses high-pressure water to clean debris in between your teeth and underneath the gums. Waterpik has a water reservoir that connects to a water ejector tip. The water reservoir holds the water, or you can use mouthwash, which flushes out the food particles. The water is ejected forcefully through the tips to flush out food particles and debris. Most Waterpiks come with a set of different tips to allow you to choose the tip that works best for your needs.
Waterpik ejects water forcefully to flush out food particles and debris
Is Waterpik a substitute for brushing and flossing?
Waterpik can be a great supplement to your oral hygiene routine. However, you should not substitute brushing and flossing with using a Waterpik. Water pressure alone is no substitute for manually cleaning your teeth. Using a Waterpik can be a very effective supplement when combined with proper brushing and flossing. The Waterpik flushes out loose food particles to prevent them from reattaching to teeth surfaces. We recommend that you brush and floss your teeth first then use your Waterpik to complete your oral hygiene routine.
Brush and floss first. Then use a Waterpik to complete your oral hygiene routine.
Should I use a Waterpik to clean my teeth?
Using a Waterpik can be a great supplement to your oral hygiene routine. However, not everyone needs to use a Waterpik. For most people, brushing and flossing should be all your need to keep your teeth and gums healthy. Here are examples of cases which using a Waterpik is helpful:
Only you and your dentist can determine if you're a good candidate for using a Waterpik
Advanced Gum Disease
If you're suffering from moderate-to-advanced periodontitis, then you’ve already lost some of your jaw bone. This bone loss creates larger gaps in between your teeth, making it more difficult to clean your teeth with just a toothbrush and dental floss. Using a Waterpik helps flush out trapped food particles. This can be very beneficial to keeping your teeth and gums healthy long term.
Extensive Dental Work
If you have lots of existing dental work in your mouth, then chances are you'll love your Waterpik! It's very common for people with numerous crowns, bridges, and/or dental implants to struggle with cleaning their teeth. These people are great candidates for using a Waterpik. The Waterpik will help you with cleaning your crowns, bridges, and especially dental implants, which are harder to clean than natural teeth.
Disabled
If you're suffering from disabilities that restrict your manual dexterity, then you're a good candidate for using a Waterpik. For instance, if you find it too difficult to use dental floss due to arthritis or carpal tunnel, then using a Waterpik is a great substitute for flossing your teeth.
As you can see, there are plenty of cases where using a Waterpik can be beneficial to your oral health. Only you and your dentist can determine if you're a good candidate for using a Waterpik. So be sure to ask your dentist if you should be using a Waterpik to clean your pearly whites! To learn more about how to clean your teeth and gums, click on one of the following links: