In addition to using an electric toothbrush, flossing is a good way to keep your teeth clean. That’s because there are some places like the crevices between your teeth that a toothbrush simply can’t reach. But what about areas that even dental floss can't clean? That’s when water flossing may be just what you need. Check out the following guide to help you shop for the right water flosser.

Types and Features of
Water Flossers

1. Air jet

A pulsating jet of air comes through a nozzle. This combines water droplets with air but the pressure is not very strong, so the cleaning power is relatively low.

2. Water jet

Water is used to flush away food and plaque through a nozzle. The water jet is more effective in cleaning teeth than the air jet.

3. Oxygenated

This uses highly efficient oxygenated micro-molecular bubble technology. The air is pressurised and mixed with water to form micro bubbles that effectively remove tartar and food residue between the gums.

How to Use a Water Flosser?

As a water flosser continuously pulsates with water, it is best to close your mouth and aim nozzle at gaps between each tooth and the gums. There is no set sequence on whether to use a toothbrush or water flosser first. Simply use as preferred.

Shopping Tips

1. Water jet pressure

The stronger the water jet pressure, the better the cleaning result. Generally speaking, a water flosser with pressure less than 500 mm Hg is not powerful enough to clean between teeth thoroughly.

2. Home or portable type

Water flossers are divided mainly into two types. The home type has a large water tank and nozzle for use over the long term and offers stronger cleaning power. The disadvantage is that it is larger and noisier during use.

The portable type, however, is easy to use while on the move and cleans teeth effectively. But it takes longer to clean and rinse and because it uses a lot of power, it needs to be recharged or have the battery replaced quite often.

3. Choose the right jet stream mode

In addition to the basic jet stream, manufacturers offer a variety of water cleaning modes to meet different needs. For example, if you feel pain when cleaning the periodontal area with the jet stream, there are models on the market that use micro air bubbles mixed with the water jet to specifically tackle that area. If you want to enhance the cleaning result then select a high-power model.

4. Materials and safety

Models made from high-quality materials are more durable and could last for more than 10 years. Inferior models on the other hand can overheat and in serious cases may leak. Consider a watertight or waterproof body with short circuit and overheating protection when you shop for a water flosser.

Recommendation: PANASONIC EW-1211/A Rechargeable Dental Beat , Oral-B Oxyjet MDH20 Aquacare Pro Expert