Waterpik
The most important area of your mouth to clean is in-between your teeth. This is the first place bacterial plaque will form, and it is also the hardest to keep clean. Dental floss has long been the standard, but waterflossers like Waterpik actually are a great alternative if you are NOT a floser.
One of the most common questions that we get is ‘Which tip should I use?’ The answer? It depends both on your dental needs and your preference. Below is a quick guide to helping you determine which tip is best for you, and their oral health needs. For more detailed information on Water Flosser Tips read on or click here
Step by step instructions
Fill the water reservoir to the maximum allowable level with warm water, so hopefully you don’t have refill in the middle of cleaning. Warm water is going to be much more comfortable especially if you have sensitive teeth. The water in the line might be cold if it has been sitting out, so you might need to flush the line too. Set the pressure dial to High Pressure (at least 6) with the Classic Jet Tip attachment. If your gums are inflamed the high pressure might feel like too much the first few times you use it, so start with a 3 and gradually work your way up.
Make sure you thumb is on the ‘pause’ button when you turn it on. To avoid splashing, clean while slightly closing your lips and letting the water run out of your mouth into the sink, or while keeping you mouth totally closed and pause to spit out the water from time to time.
It doesn’t matter if you start on the top or bottom teeth, but make sure you clean both the cheek/lip side of the teeth and the tongue side. I like to start in the back and work my way around each arch.
Place the tip at a 90 Degree angle to your teeth. Pause for a few seconds between teeth before sweeping along the gumline to the next area. Having the Waterpik on high power will flush things out nicely.
Instructions for Braces:
The Orthodontic Tip & Plaque Seeker Tip are great for cleaning right around each bracket where bacteria can hide. However, you will still need to clean in-between your teeth and gums as described above.
Blog post borrowed from FREY SMILES
TIP ATTACHMENTS
The Classic Jet Tip
is the most used tip. This tip has been used in studies comparing Water Flossing to String Flossing, and found to be up to twice as effective as string floss for improving gum health
The Orthodontic Tip
has been designed for full-mouth cleansing around orthodontic appliances. This tip has been shown to remove up to 3 times as much plaque as traditional string floss and significantly improve oral health for orthodontic patients
The Plaque Seeker(R) Tip
has been designed for full mouth cleansing and is ideal for people with implants, crowns, bridges, veneers or other areas susceptible to plaque accumulations. This tip has been shown to be up to 2 times as effective for reducing bleeding around implants as traditional string floss.
The Pik Pocket(R) Tip
has been designed for gentle, low-pressure delivery of therapeutic rinses below the gumline. It should be used in conjunction with any tip designed for full-mouth cleansing. Turn your unit to the lowest pressure setting when using this tip . However, regardless of setting, the exit pressure of the Pik Pocket(R) always remains low due to its design.