Waterpik's Water Flosser Gave Me a Healthier Smile—And My Dentist Thanks Me

We put Waterpik Cordless Advanced Water Flosser to the test after receiving a complimentary sample from the brand. Keep reading for our full product review. 

My teeth have always been…a bit of a disaster, to say the least. Every time I went to the dentist as a kid, I was told I had cavities—I considered it a huge win if it was just one. The dentist would grill me on what I was eating and drinking, insisting I must have some awful soda habit (I didn’t, my parents didn’t keep it in the house!) and I dreaded it. 

As an adult, I had some say over how often I went to the dentist, and after skipping a few years I discovered that I had 8 cavities and needed a root canal. Dealing with all of that was horrible, and I’ve been diligent about dental care ever since. That’s why I was excited to try the Waterpik Water Flosser, especially the cordless one that wouldn’t keep me bound to an outlet.

Here’s how it impacted my dental hygiene.

About My Teeth: Cavity-prone

In case it’s not obvious from my above description, my teeth are very cavity-prone. Things have stabilized recently—probably because all of them have fillings in them—but I do everything I can to keep them healthy: I brush with an electric toothbrush twice a day, floss, get a cleaning twice a year, and recently, use a Waterpik. 

The Packaging: Surprisingly simple

I should start by saying that most dentists are big fans of Waterpiks because they clean the gums in a way that even floss can’t. “Water flossing is good for removing food and plaque that’s stuck between the teeth. It’s particularly good for patients who are not good at using regular floss,” explains Dr. Marc Lowenberg. “Flossing the right way requires a lot of effort and is especially difficult for people with small mouths to do properly. Water flossing is easy because all you have to do is hold the device and it does the water blasting for you.”

I have also been told by dentists that I have a very small mouth—and this has been confirmed by how horrible dental x-rays are for me—so I’ve had Waterpiks recommended to me by dentists before. I’ve never tried one, though, because it always looked like such a strange contraption. But it’s so easy! You just put the batteries in, add water, pick a tip, and start water flossing.

Irritation: A little bit

The Waterpik Water Flosser is a lot gentler than what a dentist used on me in a recent cleaning, which she called a “power-wash”—my gums were beaten up for days. As I said, this water flosser is much gentler on my gums, but it does leave them slightly irritated—or at least more irritated than regular floss does. 

“You should not overuse a Waterpik nor should you put it on the highest level if that amount of water pressure is causing damage to your gums,” Dr. Lowenberg told me—so I did lower the pressure a bit, and it helped.

The Results: Cleaner teeth, but extra time added to my dental routine

It’s incredibly satisfying (if a little gross) to remove the tiny food particles that floss always misses. I use it once a day, which is what Dr. Lowenberg advises, but he notes that for people with spaces between their teeth, it can be used more often. “I suggest using a Waterpik after every meal for people who easily get food caught in the teeth,” he says. “The longer food gets trapped between teeth, the greater the chance of causing decay on the sides of the teeth.” 

My only real complaint is that the Waterpik adds a bit of extra time to my dental routine. As a kid, the idea of brushing for two minutes and flossing felt impossibly long, so I can’t imagine what my 10-year-old self would have thought of this contraption—but for the most part, I’m OK with it if I can keep my gums healthy and save myself a few cavities. 

The Value: If you consider the cost of fillings, this is a pretty great value

At about $100, the Waterpik Water Flosser costs significantly more than a container of floss. At the same time, it’s reusable (not to mention better for the environment, if you use those plastic flossers!) and because it’s instrumental in cavity prevention, it will probably save you a lot of money in the long run, because fillings are expensive. 

Similar Products: This is the basic version, but there are more high tech options

Waterpik Aquarius ($100): When it comes to anything high-tech (and yes I include the Waterpik Water Flosser in this), I like to keep things basic. And while I’ve never tried any other water flosser, Dr. Lowenberg recommends the higher-tech Waterpik Aquarius. “I like the Waterpik Aquarius for several reasons. Water flossers can sometimes be uncomfortable due to the high pressure of the water on the gum tissue,” he explains. “The Waterpik Aquarius has 10 pressure settings to help deal with this issue. It also comes with two modes, floss or massage, and also comes with seven different tips which enable one to control the different stream widths.” Now that I have the hang of this one, I might just be up for trying the Aquarius.