A water flosser is like a power washer for your teeth……
...ummmm, maybe not.
A water flosser, also known as a water pik (but technically that’s a brand name,
kinda like Kleenex or Xerox) is a device that shoots pulses of water to help you flush
food particles and plaque off of your teeth.
This cordless water flosser I’m holding is made by Binicare and is available on
Amazon for thirty three ninety nine, I’ll leave a link to it down in the description.
So, should you get one?
I typically recommend water flossers for certain types of patients, not everybody.
The three main types of patients who benefit from water flossers are patients with braces, patients
who have dental bridges or dental implant bridges, and patients who have had periodontal disease.
If you’re someone who’s had braces, then you know how much food will get stuck around the brackets
and wires, and how difficult it is to clean your teeth with a regular or electric toothbrush.
Use a water flosser first to blast away as much plaque and food as you can,
then use your toothbrush. For patients with dental bridges or dental implant
bridges, the tip of the water flosser will fit underneath those bridges and let you flush away
any food that gets caught underneath the bridges. Periodontal patients, especially ones who have had
periodontal surgery, typically end up with large spaces between their teeth and roots which are
very difficult to clean because of all the nooks and crannies. Sometimes even an interproximal
brush can’t get into all those nooks and crannies adequately. Some periodontal patients also have
deeper periodontal pockets that can’t be cleaned with a toothbrush and dental floss. Most water
flossers have a special periodontal tip that is longer and thinner. It makes it easier to get into
those nooks and crannies and it can even get down below the gumline into the periodontal pockets.
With some brands of water flossers you can add mouthwash to the water tank,
but double check the instructions that came with your particular water flosser.
Some types of mouthwashes may damage the water flosser. Binicare says not to use
iodine or saline solutions in their water flosser since it can damage the water pump.
Ok, so you’re probably thinking, I don’t wear braces,
I don’t have any bridges, and I don’t have periodontal disease.
I just hate using dental floss. I want to use a water flosser instead.
Well, you can use a water flosser, but, and it’s a big but,
you still have to floss with either dental floss or a floss pick, and here’s why.
Have you ever washed a car or rinsed food off of a plate? You can rinse off most of
the dirt or food, but there is always a thin film of dirt or food that sticks
and you need to use a sponge to remove that film. It's the same in your mouth.
In my, what is dental plaque video, I explained that dental plaque is mostly bacteria that
forms a coating on your teeth and the bacteria are actively trying to hold onto your teeth.
You need to physically scrape the plaque off to remove it all.
That being said, if you tell me the choice is,
you use a water flosser or you don’t floss at all,
then yes please use a water flosser everyday.
If you want to go above and beyond with your home care, then use a water flosser, use dental floss,
brush your teeth, and finish up with a fluoride mouth rinse.
It’s as easy as eating pancakes.
Quite a few of my patients have told me that they love using their water flosser
even though they have all of their teeth.
I’m going to start using this Binicare water flosser and I’ll make a review video of it
as well as a how I use my water flosser video. I’ve gotten some great feedback from viewers of
my How I brush my teeth and how I floss my teeth videos.
What brand of water flosser do you own? How do you like it?
Do you use it everyday? Let me know in the comments below. Thanks very much for watching!
See you next time.