If you find it difficult to use traditional dental floss then a water flosser could be a good alternative. Water flossers wash away food debris and plaque from in between the teeth and around the gums helping to improve oral health. It’s just like flossing only it’s done with water which is why the procedure is often referred to as a water floss.
A water flosser, or an oral irrigator as it’s often called, is a hand-held device that looks similar to an electric toothbrush. They come in a variety of guises and are known by many names including a waterjet flosser, a teeth water flosser, and a dental water flosser.
How does a water flosser work?
To perform a water floss the device needs to be filled with water and switched on. This causes it to eject streams of water that help clean in between your teeth and around the gumline.
Typically, a water flosser will have a variety of pressure settings. This allows a beginner to use gentler pressure while a more confident user can increase the jet speed if they wish.
During the process a high-powered spray of water will effortlessly blast away food particles, bacteria and plaque leaving your mouth both clean and healthy.
There are many benefits when you water floss and it’s a great addition to include in your oral care routine. We’ve outlined some below:
Safely aids dental treatments
A water floss can help with certain dental procedures such as dental implants which require that good oral hygiene is maintained at all times to maximise their longevity. Using a dental water flosser is a safe gentle way to clean the teeth without disrupting a post-treatment procedure.
It’s also possible to lower the water pressure and angle the head of a water flosser without the threat of dental floss getting caught around the wires of a dental brace.
Lowers the risk of gum disease
The stream of water emitted from a water flosser has the ability to penetrate below the gum line, thus cleaning out more bacteria than would be possible with string floss. As a result, the risk of gum disease and cavities may be reduced.
Easy to use
Unlike string flossing, a water floss requires minimal manual dexterity to achieve great results and the entire mouth can be cleaned in less than a minute.
When you’re considering a water flosser there are two main types to choose from.
Countertop Water Flosser
This is a large, heavy waterjet flosser which comes with a cord and, as its name suggests sits on a countertop close to a power outlet. They come in a range of sizes and offer a variety of features. Typically, a large countertop flosser will have the biggest water reservoir, offer more pressure settings for customised cleaning power, and have more advanced settings. A compact countertop device, on the other hand, will have a balance of features in a smaller and convenient size.
Cordless Water Flosser
These differ from a countertop device in that they have a small water reservoir which makes them lightweight, more compact, and more importantly, portable. They operate with batteries although many of them use rechargeable batteries and come equipped with a recharging stand.
Cordless water flossers have been proven to be as effective as countertop flossers with the additional benefit that they can be taken on your travels wherever in the world you happen to be going.
Just as there are different types of water flossers so there are different tips which perform different functions. Your basic teeth water flosser should come with a few different tips – the most common of which include:
If you find removing particles of food from your teeth to be an arduous task and one you deeply dislike, then do yourself a favour and invest in a water flosser.
Flossing is an important part of oral care that helps to keep your teeth and gums healthy. Here are some signs that may indicate the need to consider water flossing rather than traditional dental flossing.
You just don’t like string flossing – Flossing with traditional dental floss can seem a chore but with a water flosser, it’s actually quite good fun.
A water flosser is a great tool to help with healthy teeth and gums when used in conjunction with regular brushing and flossing and is the ideal way to help keep your teeth plaque and bacteria-free.
If you are considering investing in a water flosser but aren’t sure if you need one, check out Denfinity. You can find a cool water flosser that can help boost the results of your daily oral healthcare routine.