What Is a Waterpik? (2025)

FAQs

What Is a Waterpik? ›

A Waterpik (also known as a dental water jet) is a brand of water flosser or oral irrigator that sprays water to remove food from between your teeth. Water flossers may be a good option for people who have trouble with traditional flossing -- the kind that involves threading string-like material between your teeth.

Conclusion: The Waterpik Water Flosser and manual toothbrush is significantly more effective than a manual brush and string floss in removing plaque from tooth surfaces.

In fact, most dentists consider it to be inferior to flossing with dental floss. A Waterpik cannot offer the same level of cleaning, since the stream of water creates no friction that can loosen hard-to-reach pieces of food and other debris.

The rinsing action of Waterpiks may not be enough to remove plaque completely from the surface of your teeth. Some people like to use string floss first to scrape off and loosen plaque. A Waterpik can then be used to efficiently rinse out residue and plaque left behind.

To sum it up, daily use helps you maintain a healthy smile. Use your WATERPIK water flosser more often if you need additional cleaning or to treat gum disease as directed by your dental professional.

Naturally antibacterial, white vinegar will help to demineralise or soften tartar if used once or twice daily as a mouthwash. Swish a mixture of 2 cups of warm water, 2 teaspoons of white vinegar and a pinch of salt around your mouth for a few minutes. Do this after or between brushing your teeth.

Now, let's answer the million-dollar question: no, water flossers can't remove tartar.

Because water flosser heads touch your mouth and stay wet, oral bacteria can grow on it. Even despite following the provided cleaning recommendations. That's not all, this study limited itself to studying only the nozzle, not the hose or water reservoir itself.

Therefore, our recommendation is to consider using your Waterpik water flosser first before brushing your teeth. This will allow the stuck-on debris to dislodge and then you can easily brush the remaining area free of all particles.

In these cases, you'll find a Waterpik tremendously useful because a high pressure stream of water will get gum line areas and deep pockets cleaner, faster. For patients with deep gum pockets and spaces between their teeth, I often recommend that they use a Waterpik and dental floss, in tandem, each and every night.

Can Waterpik cause gum recession? ›

No, water flossing does not cause gum recession nor damage to teeth or crowns. On the contrary, water flossing aids in flushing debris out of bridges, crowns, implants, braces, and other dental restoration better than brushing and flossing alone which can extend the lifespan of your dental restorations.

Do not use iodine, chlorine, hydrogen peroxide, or water insoluble essential oils in WATERPIK devices, as these may damage your device.

You can safely use a Waterpik as often as you like, it will only help to improve your oral care. If you have gum disease or have trouble brushing or flossing, your dentist may even recommend that you use a Waterpik more often than once per day.

Safe for Waterpik^TM Water Flossers

Standard or cosmetic mouthwash neutralizes odors and freshens your breath. To use standard mouthwash: Add a small amount of mouthwash to a reservoir filled with warm water (to prevent damage to the unit, do not exceed a 1:1 ratio of mouthwash to water).

Since flossing daily is recommended, using a WaterPik daily is also encouraged. Although you can use it in the morning, night usage is ideal. This is because typically, you'll go the longest without food or drink overnight. You've already had all your meals for the day and can end the day with perfectly clean teeth.

The truth is there is no difference. A Waterpik is simply a brand of water flosser that has become so well known that the name of the company and the product itself have become synonymous.

Although plaque scrapers can be purchased in some stores and online, it's not a good idea to use them yourself. Because plaque scrapers are sharp, improper use can damage the delicate gum tissue. Trauma to the gum tissue isn't just painful, it can also cause receding gums, exposing the sensitive roots of the teeth.

The best way to remove plaque and tartar is to practice good oral hygiene. The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. They also recommend flossing once a day. Flossing first will remove pieces of food and plaque from between the teeth and hard-to-reach areas.

Plaque removal with chlorhexidine digluconate mouthwash

Rinsing with chlorhexidine (0.12% w/v*) significantly reduced gingivitis, gingival bleeding and plaque by 29%, 48% and 54%, respectively, 2 weeks after supragingival scaling and root planing.