In many of my blog posts I have discussed the importance of daily homecare, including flossing. I know the reality is that most people don’t floss as often as they should, if at all. We have all created a great habit of brushing, but most people cannot get into the habit of flossing. If you are someone that struggles with flossing, I have a product for you to try. The Aquarius WaterPik Water flosser! It is a hand held device that sprays a stream of water around, and between your teeth in steady pulses. This Water flosser is the 1st of its kind to be awarded the ADA seal of Acceptance based on its efficiency in removing plaque along the gumline & between teeth, as well as preventing & reducing gingivitis. It has been clinically proven to remove up to 99.9% of plaque. It has also been clinically proven to be 50% more effective than flossing when cleaning the teeth & gums.
The Aquarius waterflosser has 10 pressure settings, 5 different tips to choose from, on/off switch on the handle, 1- minute and 30 second pacer, and in-unit storage. The five different tips have been created to focus on each individuals needs; the classic jet tip– which is used for general flossing, the plaque seeker tip- gets into those tough- to- reach areas, this tip is excellent for people who have implants, crowns and fixed retainers, the Orthodontic Tip– designed to be used with braces getting around brackets and wires, and finally the Pik Pocket Tip– designed to clean out periodontal pocketing. The on/off switch on the handle makes it much easier to control as you are moving it around your mouth and the in- unit storage makes it easy to keep everything together without taking up a lot of space.
After learning about this product and knowing how many of my patients would benefit from it, I purchased one. If I was going to be recommending this product to my patients, I wanted to know how it worked and if it was as good as they say. I am a flosser, but I LOVE my Waterflosser in addition. I have been recommending it to my patients regularly now for 6 months and those who have purchased one, have noticed a difference in how much cleaner their mouth feels and love their new investment in keeping a cleaner oral cavity.
I will be honest, there is a minor learning curve to using the Waterflosser, but there are lots of great YouTube videos on how to use it. I have also included a how to use a WaterPik photo series below. It’s important when using the jet tip to hold the tip at a 90 degree angle toward the gumline and not down at or into the gum tissues. The only tip that goes below the gumline it the Pik Pocket tip, at a pressure setting no higher than 2.
How to Use a Waterpik® Water Flosser in 6 Simple Steps (from WaterPik Website)
Fill the reservoir with warm water and place firmly on the base.
Select a tip and click into the handle. Note: If this is the first use, set the pressure control dial to high. Point the tip into the sink and turn on until water flows. Turn unit off.
Start with the lowest pressure setting, lean over the sink, place tip in your mouth.
Turn unit on. Close lips enough to prevent splashing, let water flow from your mouth into sink.
Aim the tip at the gumline.
When finished, turn unit off and use the tip eject button to remove the tip.