Buzz
Water flossers, such as the Waterpik, have quickly gained prominence in dentist offices and stores. But do they outperform conventional flossing when it comes to removing plaque or cleaning your teeth?
How Do Waterpiks Function?
A water flosser, as the name suggests, employs a jet of water to dislodge plaque and debris from your gums and teeth. These devices, including the Waterpik, utilize a motorized pump system to send out a pulsating, pressurized stream through a nozzle. This pressure helps to dislodge particles from the surfaces inside your mouth, which are then washed away by the water. Ultimately, it offers the same results as traditional flossing, without the scraping of your teeth or gums.
Is a water flosser more effective at removing plaque compared to traditional flossing?
Waterpiks are indeed effective at plaque removal, having earned the American Dental Association (ADA) Seal of Acceptance. However, whether they perform better than regular flossing is still up for debate. One study showed that water flossers achieved a 74.4% reduction in overall mouth plaque and 81.6% in approximal plaque, where your teeth touch. In comparison, string floss only reduced these categories by 57.7% and 63.4%, respectively. Based on these findings, Waterpiks seem to remove plaque more efficiently than traditional floss, though some dentists remain skeptical.
According to the Mayo Clinic, water flossers generally don’t clean plaque and visible film as thoroughly as string floss. Their gentler nature may make them less effective at dislodging particles stuck on your teeth.
Water flossers are effective, but they’re not flawless
Ultimately, do you really need a Waterpik? Probably not. If cost isn’t a concern or if you have sensitive gums or braces, they can be beneficial, as they do remove plaque. However, their advantages may not justify the extra expense for most people. Traditional floss is far more affordable, less messy, and just as effective in many cases. While it can be rough on gums or trickier to use, its benefits are hard to overlook.
The key is to find something you’ll actually use daily. If a $100 water flosser motivates you to maintain good oral hygiene consistently, then purchasing one isn’t a bad choice. However, if you’re able to use traditional floss reliably, skipping the Waterpik and saving your money will be perfectly fine.
