If you have large spaces between your teeth where food traps, have limited dexterity, or a lot of crowns and bridges in your mouth then water flossing may be a good solution for you. We recommend patients use their water flosser after brushing and flossing regularly. These patients report that food and debris was flushing out even after a thorough brush and floss.
There are several brands of water flossers available but this article will focus on the Waterpik, as this is what most of our patients use.
A study was conducted at the University of Southern California School of Dentistry and the USC Center for Biofilms concerning the effectiveness of the Waterpik in removing the Plaque Biofilm. They treated teeth to three seconds of medium pressure with the Classic Jet and Orthodontic Waterpik tips. Afterwards, they were evaluated by a scanning electron microscope. The results of the study revealed 99.9% removal of the plaque biofilm (see photo).
As mentioned previously, we recommend using a Waterpik in conjunction with regular brushing and flossing.
And the following video is provided by Waterpik, explaining how to use a waterpik:
