this post was submitted on 05 Jul 2023
53 points (93.4% liked)

Asklemmy

44151 readers
1963 users here now

A loosely moderated place to ask open-ended questions

Search asklemmy πŸ”

If your post meets the following criteria, it's welcome here!

  1. Open-ended question
  2. Not offensive: at this point, we do not have the bandwidth to moderate overtly political discussions. Assume best intent and be excellent to each other.
  3. Not regarding using or support for Lemmy: context, see the list of support communities and tools for finding communities below
  4. Not ad nauseam inducing: please make sure it is a question that would be new to most members
  5. An actual topic of discussion

Looking for support?

Looking for a community?

~Icon~ ~by~ ~@Double_[email protected]~

founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS
 

A post over at YSK talked about flossing, and mentioned water picks.

  • Anyone got any recommendations they can share?
  • How much should I be spending?
  • Any reasons for or against?
all 21 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] grabyourmotherskeys 11 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I purchased a generic one. It's no longer sold on Amazon.ca.

Search for "water flosser" or "oral irrigator".

I paid under $50 CDN and no complaints.

I have crowded teeth and various issues that mean this is a much better option for me than normal flossing and use it regularly.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I've had both the wired and wireless pik and the wireless one is my favorite even though the reservoir is smaller. I like that can take it into the shower and do my flossing there and it feels less messy somehow.

[–] grabyourmotherskeys 2 points 1 year ago

I have a wireless one as well (gifted) and it's good but find it's more of a hassle to use. Good for travel or if you don't have a much counter space. The one I got is battery powered so you have to change batteries and I don't have rechargeables so in practice I don't use it. I would probably use it more if it was usb chargeable.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Is a water pick as effective as flossing? I assume it gets stuck food out just fine, but plaque?

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago

Our dentist said you can't top flossing, but it's better than not doing it at all. So waterpik in the morning, floss at night. /Shrug

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I’m also new to this topic and last week bought an OralB as a test. I found it underpowered, noisy and big. I returned it and bought one that gets attached to your faucet. Zero technology, but has waaay more pressure than an electric one, is silent, does not break and barely uses any space. This is it.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Wish I knew about this! Same complaints about mine. Also don't love it, would probably use this one more often.

Wonder how well it handles hard water. With my Waterpik I can run vinegar through it.

[–] grabyourmotherskeys 1 points 1 year ago

I add a little mouthwash to mine. Keeps the unit and me minty fresh.

[–] GAMER 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I have one. They are pretty nice for teeth.

Even more fun to use as a squirt gun.

At work.

At my boss.

Guess who lost their job?

My boss.

I miss that guy.

That guy was awesome to work with.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Bought this one off a similar thread a while back. Works great but I definitely have to use the sensitive setting. Perfect to use while showering so I don't have to worry about making a mess.

Amazon Link

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

In my experience, it does not clean as well as string floss, but it has better reach and ease of use. It helps a lot if you have a trouble flossing or if you have braces, but it does not get in-between teeth as well. It can't replace string floss, but it's a good alternative.

I recommend one with enough capacity so that you don't have to refill more than once. Also consider the pressure of the water as, in my experience, only the high settings clean my teeth well.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

I've been using one for years. I stick with the counter top models. A hygienist told me they're great for your gums. I need to remember to run vinegar thru it once a month to help control mineral deposits...

Makes my nose itch something fierce tho when I use it! πŸ˜‚

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (2 children)

My wife is an RDH and she got us this one https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HFQQ0VU it's expensive but I love it - ever since I started using it I have less build up (according to my dentist) and my gums don't hurt at all. The first few times I used it it was also very gross because whatever tiny food particles it picked up from my gums smelled very bad.

The only word of caution is if you have prosthetics/crowns/dentures you need to select a tip that is made for that job. The default tip might not clean right or even break some of the smaller parts (the pressure level can be adjusted so it depends on what can you tolerate, but over time you'll be able to tolerate more and more pressure because your gums will heal)

[–] EyesEyesBaby 5 points 1 year ago

Waterpik means Waterdick in Dutch.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Thanks, looks quite big. I guess it needs plugging in?

[–] Mostly_Gristle 3 points 1 year ago

I've been using a HydroFloss for years. When my original one stopped working I used a WaterPik brand handheld one for a while, but it was pretty terrible in comparison, so I ended up shelling out for another HydroFloss. They're about $100, which I think is about on par with the nicer WaterPik models. One nice thing about HydroFloss is that they sell replacement parts so if the pump or the handle/hose breaks you can replace it yourself for like $20 instead of buying a whole new one.

[–] sicjoke 3 points 1 year ago

Can’t advocate using a water pick enough, especially if you suffer from trapped food / large gaps in your teeth.

I bought a Panasonic from Amazon for under Β£50.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] primevandal 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

i cant believe the first lemmy-influenced purchase i want is a waterpik. way to go lemmy!