Best Water Flossers

We teach our children to adopt the habit of brushing their teeth regularly. When they get a little older, we teach them to use dental floss. Dental floss is estimated to get rid of 80% of bacterial plaque and food residue from between the teeth and is effective in preventing tooth decay. But dental floss takes some skill to do properly--especially for the teeth in the back, where most of the decay occurs. A water flosser is considered even more effective than dental floss. It can reach every part of your mouth, with less effort. Some studies have shown that it removes almost 100% of plaque in just a few seconds! And many children (and adults) find it to be more fun than using string dental floss!

Water flossing has an added benefit: it also can reduce gum disease and inflammation, called gingivitis, as well as reverse receding gums. Using a water flosser regularly just for 1 minute a day will significantly strengthen the gums and eliminate bleeding gums. And if someone has braces or dental implants, a water flosser can clean teeth effectively without risking damaging the dental work.

To take all of these considerations into account, we’ve composed this buyer’s guide to help you make the right decision when selecting a water flosser. It'll help you:

• Choose the right type of water flosser,

• See useful tips about the particular types of water flossers,

• Read reviews of some of the best water flossers, and what customers are saying,

• Select the right brand of a water flosser, and

• Compare prices and find the best deals.

• Countertop Water Flossers: These will run off wall current, so you can use them as long as you have electricity in your house. That saves you the hassle of replacing or recharging batteries. Also, they usually come with more flosser tips than the portable variety. More flosser tips mean that you can have one tip for each family member. They will also have a larger water reservoir, so you can clean your entire mouth on a single fill. The drawback is that they will take up more space in your bathroom. An excellent countertop model is the Waterpik WP-112 Ultra Countertop Water Flosser.

Waterpik WP-112 Ultra Countertop Water Flosser 

• Cordless Water Flossers: This is preferred by people who have limited space in their bathrooms or people who want to take the flosser with them when traveling. A cordless model will allow you to floss your teeth, and then pack it away when you’re finished. They can use a disposable or rechargeable battery. The Zerhunt Cordless Water Flosser can be charged by a USB port or power bank, and can last you up to 14 days on a single 4-hour charge!

Zerhunt Dental Water Flosser

• Whitening Water Flossers: These water flossers mix a stain removal agent, usually in the form of tablets, with the flosser’s water. This effectively makes your teeth whiter, while the force of the water removes plaque and food debris. The Waterpik Whitening Professional Water Flosser (Model WF-05) is such a design, which can remove 25% more stains than just relying on brushing.

Waterpik Whitening Professional Water Flosser (Model WF-05)

• Pressure settings: It’s recommended to only use a water flosser that has a pressure setting, whether it’s a range from 1-10, as in the Waterpik models, or just switching between Low-Medium-High. The Zerhunt water flosser allows you to switch between three modes: normal, soft, and pulse mode--you can thus choose if you want to just clean your teeth, or massage the gums. The main principle is that the stream of water shouldn’t sting during the flossing.

• Two “on-off” buttons: Some devices have an additional “on-off” button on the handle of the flosser, besides the button on the device’s main chassis. That way, you can turn the unit on, position the water flosser nozzle in your mouth, and only start flossing when you press the button on the handle.​

• ​​​​​​Who especially needs a water flosser: Studies show that a water flosser is 50% more effective than string dental floss. This is because dental floss can only go 1-4 millimeters below the gum line, while a water pick can go deeper.  But if you have a history of gum disease, it can be a lifesaver. A water flosser is especially recommended for inflamed, bleeding gums, and also good if you have periodontal pockets or have had a deep cleaning in the past (called “SRP” = scaling and root planing, where tartar is being removed beneath the gum line). Also, for people with braces, a permanent retainer after braces, a lingual bar, a dental implant, or bridge, there are special nozzles that can clean effectively.

• Rotating nozzle: A rotating nozzle can be convenient: that way, you can change the direction of the jet of water, without having to twist your wrist. It’s a feature that you’ll see in the Zerhunt water flosser.

• Flossing tips: You’ll find that water flossers will have a set of flossing tips. That’s important for hygienic purposes--each member of your family should have their own flossing tip, just like they have their own toothbrush. But there are also special flossing tips for people with braces or other delicate dental work. The Waterpik Ultra Water Flosser offers the following 6 tips: 2 Classic tips, for general use; 1 orthodontic tip, for people with braces; 1 plaque seeker tip, for people with implants, crowns, and other delicate dental work; 1 Pik Pocket tip, for irrigating periodontal pockets (This is a very dangerous situation, where there is a large space between the gums and the teeth. This can lead to decay of the roots of the teeth and bone loss.); and 1 toothbrush tip, which has a rotating brush that brushes the teeth as you are flossing.

Six Waterpik Exchangeable Tips

• Good reservoir capacity: This is important so that you don’t have to fill up the reservoir so often. Some countertop models can contain from 15-22 ounces (440-650 ml) of water and will allow you from 60-90 seconds of flossing. Waterpik’s cordless water flosser holds 5-7 ounces (148-207 ml) of water, which is good for 30-45 seconds.

• Good water pressure: The best countertop water flossers allow you to adjust the water pressure. The Waterpik countertop models will allow a pressure level of anywhere from 10-100 psi (pounds per square inch), while their cordless models range from 45-75 psi. Waterpik has 10 pressure settings on their countertop device. It’s important that you don’t exceed the water pressure level that is comfortable for you. You may have areas of your mouth that are extra-sensitive--so lower the pressure when flossing those regions. If the stream of water hurts, you should definitely lower the water pressure. Exceeding the proper level can actually cause gum damage and further receding of the gums!

• Convenient carrying case: The AquaSonic Aqua Flosser is a compact, portable model that comes with a convenient carrying case. That makes it a great idea to take along when traveling.

AquaSonic Aqua Flosser with carrying case and extra tips

Waterpik, based in Fort Collins, Colorado, is a subsidiary of Church & Dwight consumer goods in their division of personal care products. They were founded in 1962 by hydraulic engineer John Mattingly and dentist Gerald Moyer, as the Aqua Tec Corporation. The company is famous for oral water flossers, electric toothbrushes, and even a wide variety of shower heads.

Pure Daily Care is a maker of personal care and hygiene products. They make water flossers, electric toothbrushes, skin therapy wands, face steamers, aromatherapy sets, and more.

Zerhunt is located in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China. They are makers of health and beauty products, as well as swim goggles and pet care products.