Permalink Waterpik Ultra Dental Water Jet
Amber is entering her third year of orthodontic treatment. When she had her Herbst Appliance it wasn't too difficult a job to brush and keep her teeth clean. The full set of braces on the other hand has made tooth brushing a challenge for her. After outlaying as much money as we have, we want to try and ensure as much as possible a bright smile when the bling has been removed.
One would not think a 13 year old would get excited over a Waterpik Ultra Dental Water Jet. Yet this new acquisition of hers is shown off to everyone who walks through our doors.
But no wonder, if every teen could have a robot to do their chores, I'm sure they'd jump at the chance. Well the Ultra Dental Water Jet, is like a robot for flossing! For those with braces, when using the orthodontic tip, it is 3x as effective as floss at removing plaque. (Sharma NC, Lyle DM, Qaqish J, Galustians J, Schuller R. Effect of a dental water jet with orthodontic tip on plaque and bleeding in adolescent patients with fixed orthodontic appliances. Am J Ortho Dentofacial Orthop 2008; 133(4):565-571.)
What's more, it's easier than flossing and more fun too! Well it must be, because Amber is actually using it after every time she eats. We had to "encourage" her to floss, and with much strong arming (in other words, threats to ban video games lol!) were lucky if it happened once a day.
Amber can adjust the water pressure to suit her needs, so if there is some stubborn food caught on one of those brackets she can get it off.
We can already tell the difference on her teeth since she has begun using it, and she's looking forward to her orthodontist appointment in January, anticipating an "excellent" on her teeth maintenance habits on her 'report card'.
Besides its oral health benefits, I like that this is a sleek looking and slim design to keep out on your counter top. Amber's bathroom also doubles as our guest bathroom, and the Ultra Dental Water Jet is not unsightly to leave out.
It was also easy enough for Amber to learn to use on her own. With a quick test drive with Dad at her side, she had the on/off of the tips, the pause buttons and the mechanics of use figured out in no time.
As well as being more effective then flossing the Ultra Dental Water Jet also removes bacteria below the gumline, where brushing and flossing will not reach.
If you have a child wearing braces, or wear them yourself, I would definitely suggest looking into getting an Ultra Dental Water Jet, at an arv of $59.99 it's a small price for healthy teeth and gums, to get where a tooth brush can't.
Until December 31/09 you can save $5.00 off the cost of an Ultra Dental Water Jet, by printing the coupon on the Waterpik site.
I received the Waterpik Ultra Dental Water Jet WP-100 in order to test it out and share my thoughts on my blog. The opinions expressed are my own and no monetary compensation was provided as compensation.
Reader Comments (6)
Looks like a great product! Just in time for the holidays!
Noone in our house has braces... yet. I will definitely keep this in mind for the future! Great review!
my oldest has just been told he will need to get braces. I didn't even consider that he would need something like this with it. Its all new to me as I never had braces myself.
I bought a waterpick similar to this one--let me just say if you have sensitive teeth, a waterpick is probably not for you! I got one because my teeth are so close together I had trouble flossing--the floss would shred when I tried to pry it from my teeth. The waterpick was to be my solution but it just was too painful. Thankfully, they invented easy glide floss :)
Even slightly cold water can sting sensitive teeth when sprayed by a WaterPik, try using warm water its more soothing on sore gums and probably won't sting as much on the teeth.
These are amazing products for getting your teeth clean. We had some real problems with our son cleaning his braces and after speaking to our dentist, he recommended the Water Pik stuff. We had to hunt around for them as they are not readily available in the UK, but it was worth it!
And yes, they look so "space age" that my son was excited too!