A water flosser, or Waterpik, can improve your oral hygiene by removing plaque from between your teeth and below your gum line. Flossing is an essential part of everyone’s dental care routine and should be undertaken twice a day, just like brushing. But plenty of people don’t know how to floss correctly, and simply skip this important step. Let’s look more closely at the primary water flosser benefits, and why you need to ensure you aren’t skimping when it comes to flossing.
What’s The Big Deal About Flossing?
It might seem fiddly and inconvenient when you’re using string floss, but flossing every time you brush is just as important for your dental hygiene as brushing. So what’s the big deal?
Your mouth is a breeding ground for bacteria, and it’s your daily brushing and flossing routine that keeps that bacteria in balance. When it is out of balance, you can develop dental decay and tooth cavities.
The bacteria in your mouth live in a sticky substance called plaque. During the course of the day and overnight, this plaque coats the surfaces of your teeth as well as your tongue. It also accumulates below the gum line and between your teeth, which are both areas that are inaccessible with a toothbrush.
Flossing in a c-shape, round and between each tooth, is the only effective way to remove plaque, bacteria and debris.
So, Why The Resistance To Dental Floss?
If flossing is so important, why do so many people neglect to do it? Sometimes you’re in a rush, distracted or just don’t have the technique down to be able to use string floss effectively, and that’s where water flosser benefits outweigh those of string floss.
What Are The Main Water Flosser Benefits?
Water Flossers work on the premise of hydrokinetics or the movement of water to remove plaque, bacteria and debris from the teeth. It is a much gentler and less abrasive approach to dental care and relies on technology to compensate for lack of attention and diligence when flossing.
Here are some of the most common water flosser benefits that patients appreciate:
A Waterpik Is Less Abrasive On The Gums
If you have sensitive gums that bleed easily, a Waterpik is a non-abrasive way to get the job done right. If you handle string floss incorrectly, it can cause discomfort and bleeding that you might find off-putting and which may deter you from wanting to floss.
Let Technology Do The Work For You
Your mornings may be a mad rush, which can impact the effectiveness with which you handle your oral hygiene.
By using a water flosser you can have peace of mind that the job is being done correctly and that you are handling plaque removal in the most effective way possible.
Water Flossers Are Ideal For Patients Who Have Limited Mobility In Their Hands
If you have a condition that affects the mobility or dexterity of your hands, flossing your teeth can be painful and uncomfortable. Water flossers are designed to be easy to hold manoeuvre and manipulate and only require you to direct the nozzle towards your gum line, unlike string floss which needs to be carefully wound around each tooth in a c-shape.
Patients who have conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis or osteoporosis may find water flosser benefits much more attractive than dental floss.
A Water Flosser Is Ideal For Patients With Orthodontic Braces
When you wear orthodontic braces, maintaining your oral hygiene can be a challenge, as the orthodontics literally come between you and your teeth. Using string floss with braces is especially challenging, but the fluidity of water ensures that water jets get around and between the brackets and wires that have been placed on your teeth.
A Water Flosser Is Essential For Patients With Gum Disease
If dental care has been a challenge for you in the past and you have developed gum disease as a result, using a Waterpik can help to keep the bacteria in your mouth under control. Waterpiks have been found to be especially effective in keeping periodontal pockets clean, as the jets of water can fill them up and clean them out much more effectively than string floss.
Care For Dental Restorations More Effectively
Tooth decay is the leading cause of tooth loss, and if you have dental implants or a dental bridge as a result of tooth loss caused by dental decay, it is a sign that your dental care could be improved. Using an oral irrigator around dental implants and dental bridges can help to keep them in good condition for longer and may help you in the fight against future dental decay.
What About The Mess?
Because water flossers shoot jets of water at your mouth, they are perceived to be messier than string floss, but the reality is that you don’t have to put your hands in your mouth like you would with string floss. It’s also possible to use an oral irrigator in the shower or over a basin, so this doesn’t need to be a drawback for your oral hygiene.
What Comes First: Brushing Or Flossing?
It actually doesn’t matter what order you brush and floss in, as long as you do both twice a day.
When it comes to flossing, you should be systematic about it, beginning on one side of the jaw, giving each tooth attention, and then moving across to the other side of the jaw, before beginning with the next jaw
You must ensure that you floss between each tooth in a c-shape so that you can also remove any accumulated plaque from below your gum line.
To find out more about how water flosser benefits can improve your oral care routine, or how best to floss for maximum plaque removal, please contact us: (02) 8806 3799.
