ExamineHealth

How the Waterpik changed my life…

There isn't anything better than the feeling of a clean, fresh mouth.  Brushing your teeth gets you pretty close to experiencing this wonderful feeling, and probably satisfies you if you haven't used a waterpick.  However, no amount of brushing, flossing, or picking can reach the level of fresh feeling that you get from shooting jets of cool water into every nook and cranny in your mouth.

I started using a waterpick when I had braces.  With metal in your mouth, it's virtually impossible to floss.  Sure they have the little loop adapters that you can use to feed the floss in between each tooth, but these are both wholly ineffective, and probably the most annoying things on the planet to work.  Of course the braces give you even more nooks and crannies for food bits to hide out in and cause bacteria and buildup.  This of course leads to a search for a solution.

The most convincing test for me of this product was brushing my teeth thoroughly, then performing a good flossing, then hitting it with the waterpick.  It still blasted out food junk from my teeth, even after the previous pass of the more traditional methods.  Normally I waterpick first, to get all the loose gunk out, then I brush to polish up and get rid of any plaque.  The feeling you have in your mouth after a good thorough waterpicking is second-to-none, it's fresh and clean and refreshing.

For an even more refreshing experience, you can add a shot of mouthwash to your waterpick and blast your mouth out with it.  Talk about minty fresh!

 

The Unit

The waterpick that I use is the Ultra Dental Water Jet (WP-100).  This is not the only one I've ever tried, but it is my favorite, and is priced reasonably.  This is the classic Waterpik brand, which is the de facto standard in consumer waterpicks.

This unit requires about 5 minutes of assembly out of the box, this is really just unpacking all of the various attachments that comes with the unit and putting them into their respective slots in the convenient storage tray that is provided.  I personally find that most of the attachments are nothing more than novelty, you might use them once or twice to try them out, but I suspect that once you have a favorite, you'll stick to it.

The unit essentially consists of a base that you plug into the wall, a water reservoir, and the aforementioned attachment tray.  The reservoir just needs to be filled up prior to each use.  It comes on and off very easily, and forms a good seal, which prevents water from leaking onto your counter top.  I actually put the attachment tray in one of my drawers, since I don't use anything other than the one attachment anyway and it's designed to sit on top of the reservoir, which of course puts it right in the way.

After filling the reservoir and placing it on the base, you just select the strength of the jet via the dial on the front and you're off.  I suggest that you start with this dial low while your gums get accustomed to the jets.  They will adapt quickly and you'll soon find yourself turning it up higher to get the best results.  Once you've found your preferred strength setting, you'll probably not touch this dial again.

Flipping the switch starts the pump on the unit, then the jet is entirely controlled by a thumb button mounted directly on the wand.  This allows you to turn on and off the stream at will, without having to fumble for the switch.  This is a very handy feature, especially when you're getting started.

Usage Technique

You'll want to start running the jet tip across your gum line, holding the end of the tip about a millimeter or two away from your gums.  You want to shoot that water jet right underneath your gum line to clean them out good, also hitting the cracks in between each of your teeth thoroughly.  I usually operate it at a slight angle so that I can really get underneath my gums.  Start at one end of your mouth and work your way around to the other, then do the bottom.  I generally only hit the fronts of my teeth, counting on the blow-by of the jets to knock anything out from the back.  Once you start to get the hang of it, you could try making a pass at the back as well, but I recommend just starting with the front at first.  Otherwise it can get kind of messy.

You want to leave your mouth slightly open during this process, which will allow the water to drain out.  You'll see the bits you're cleaning out fall into the sink while you work.  You'll get the hang of leaving your lips closed just enough to keep all the water from splashing out, and instead just drip gently out of your parted lips.  The whole process will take only about a minute once you're proficient at it.

Once you're satisfied that you've got it all, hit your thumb button and flip the switch off to turn off the unit.  Then I'll brush my teeth as normal, before using the remainder of the water in the reservoir to rinse my mouth out.  Dump any excess into the sink so that you can return the reservoir empty to dry.  I usually set the reservoir at a slight angle in the unit, so that it can dry thoroughly.  That way it's ready to go next time you want to use it.  The cord for the want should coil up nicely inside the unit - I've found that it's relatively easy to keep this coil for the life of the unit.

If you want to run the reservoir through the dishwasher once in a while to sterilize it, you can do this also.  Another thing to mention, if you do end up running mouthwash through it, it's a good idea to run plain water through it afterward.  This will keep the internals clean and rinsed so the mouthwash won't gunk up the insides.

Summary

This little device changed the way that I keep my mouth healthy, it's greatly improved the health of my gums and teeth.  My visits to the dentist are more pleasant and I usually get remarks from the technicians about how well kept my teeth and gums are.  Without food sitting against your enamel and eating into it, it leaves your mouth to stay clean and fresh.  The health benefits are practically secondary compared to the clean and crisp feeling you'll come to expect.  I can barely go to sleep at night without my waterpick.

If you would like to obtain one of these marvelous devices, I recommend Amazon.com.  They have the best prices around and exemplary customer service when it comes to ordering online.  You can the Ultra Dental Water Jet from Waterpik there and have it on your doorstep in a couple of days.

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