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Waterpik Uses

The tingly feeling of water squirted at your teeth and gums continuously refreshes and cleans your mouth. This revolutionary way of maintaining oral hygiene was invented in 1962 by an engineer, John Mattingly, and a dentist, Gerald Moyer. Only five years later, the Water Jet came in to use. The Waterpik that we know today flosses, brushes and performs myriad other oral hygiene functions.

  1. Teeth

    • The most common reason for using a Waterpik is to clean teeth. The Pik can be used as a flosser and also a brush, shooting water at varying strengths between and on top of teeth. Fluoride or mouthwash also can be added in small quantities to the Waterpik to freshen the mouth while using the machine.

    Gums

    • With gum disease running rampant through many mouths, Waterpiks are perfect for not only aiding in recovery from the disease, but also maintain a mouth where the irritation and inflammation cannot happen. Using the Pik along the gum line every day massages it, removes debris and keeps it healthy.

    Tongue

    • Most people find it uncomfortable to press a toothbrush to the back of their mouth in order to clean their entire tongue, and it can often cause a gag reflex to occur. Using a Waterpik is a good alternative to this as it does not inspire the gag reflex as much, and is able to clean the entire tongue without the harsh scratching motion of a toothbrush.

    Other Uses

    • Waterpiks are an effective means of removing tonsiliths, also called tonsil stones. This buildup of hard objects made of bacteria, food particles and dead cells in the tonsils is not only a cause of bad breath, but also can be uncomfortable for those suffering from them. Pointing the jet of water at the stones removes them and cleans the surrounding tissue. Waterpiks also keep fillings clean and prevent cavities. Adding mouthwash to the pick on a gentle setting is a way of finishing off dental care without needing to gargle the wash itself. Saline solution also can be placed in the machine and the Waterpik can be used for relief from sinus pressure.

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