I've always prided myself on my good teeth. I thought that flossing and brushing was enough...that was until I went to the dentist, and he said I had the beginnings of periodontal disease. That scared the hell out of me.
I went home and started using the Sonicare I had bought but never plugged in. That was good, but not enough - I bought a Waterpik because obviously flossing wasn't cutting it.
I had never used a Waterpik before, and it was some revelation! I'm still amazed that there are some Waterpik oldtimers who say this machine isn't strong enough...uh, for what? Peeling paint off a brick wall? This thing absolutely knocked my socks off when it came to the PRESSURE.
I started out at 2 and worked my way up to 7 - it still stings like mad, but I'm getting used to it by now. I put Listerine in the tank to increase the anti-bacteria result.
My dentist went on vacation, and I had to cancel another appointment, so it happened that almost two months had elapsed since the last time I had seen him. In that time, I faithfully brushed with the Sonicare four times a day and used the Waterpik at least once (several tankfuls of water and Listerine worth.)
Regarding the leaking people talk about - the only time the tank leaks, I notice, is if I put my fingers on the seal when I'm refilling it. If I'm careful to keep my fingers away from that seal, the tank is water tight.
So when I returned for my check-up, the dentist was AMAZED. He wasn't sure what I had done, but he said my gums looked pink and healthy! He had said initially I'd have to get my teeth cleaned every three months because I must be one of those people who gets a tartar build up quicker than other people...well, I had worked religiously on scaling back the plaque. (I had also bought a dental mirror so I could check the back of my front teeth for telltale plaque residue.)
Hmmm, no comment about that plaque...was it because there WASN'T any? My dentist asked me if I had been eating because there was so little build up (I had to tear that out of him because I KNEW he didn't want to give me credit for working that hard on my dental hygiene!)
The dentist HADN'T recommended a Waterpik, but I knew I had to go to the extreme to beat back the periodontal enemy. My teeth are so clean, they squeak!
As far as "Water Piks" go this model is pretty snazzy and seems to work quite well. It comes with 8 attachments:
* 3 standard jets * 3 tongue cleaners * 1 pik pocket (cute name) for deeper gum purging and * 1 orthodontic tip (with small brush on end) for cleaning braces.
- The 'tongue cleaners' are worthless contrivances that simulate drowning.
You can clean your tongue much better with a standard tooth brush (although a coated tongue generally indicates the need for a dietary change, like more fruit, salad and less gunky foods).
- The orthodontic tip seems that it will work great for braces.
- The pik pocket (narrow tip) does not work as good as it should. Rather than increasing the water pressure the narrower tip actually slows it down. It may be convenient in some tight spots. It is good to have but seems to be of rather limited use compared with the standard jet tips.
The standard jet tips work quite excellently (4 stars) and will surprise you with how much junk is left behind by regular brushing and flossing.
- Most adult dental problems are caused by infrequent (below the gum line) professional cleaning and/or ignoring to floss. The Waterpik is designed to give you a significant 'edge' in keeping your teeth and gums in good condition by getting between the teeth and below (somewhat) the gum line to remove the 'left-behind gunk' before it turns into plaque, bleeding gums, and a myriad of problem$$$. Poor oral hygiene is the main cause of tooth-loss regardless of age.
- This "Ultra" model is powerful (100 watts) and does the job of power-washing your teeth and gums quite well. The design is stylish, has a relatively small footprint, a lid that houses the attachments and which also keeps the water reservoir covered.
- It is only a bit quieter than earlier Waterpik models and the hose could be about 7 inches longer for an optimum length. However, these minor design issues are insignificant with what this device accomplishes. It cleans between your teeth and along the gum line to assist greatly in preserving your pearly whites!
- Amazon's price of $49.00 (as of 9-06) is excellent and also includes free shipping. If the $49.00 seems a bit too steep then search Amazon for "WaterPik WP-72 Professional Dental Water Jet" priced at $33.26 with free shipping. The reviews are good for the WP-72 (some mechanical issues). However, both of these items carry a two year warranty.
- The attachments on this unit are different from those on many earlier units, so if you intend to get any additional accessories (e.g. nasal passage cleaner, etc. - no kidding) then they must be made for this specific model or similar models.
- This model has 10 pressure settings (a dial), however, anything below setting 6 would seem rather weak and insufficient (irrigation only). The handle also has a stop/start button for water flow (only). The power switch is safely on the side of the unit.
- Using a Waterpik is (can be) a bit quirky, splashy and squirty. It is, never-the-less, a most excellent tool to assist in promoting excellent oral hygiene and getting the bathroom all to yourself.
- I believe that the few dollars extra for this model is because this "ultra" model is a cut above. There are some Water Pik reviews stating that the recent models do not seem as durable as the earlier models. This most recent model (Ultra) seems integral, gets the job done well and is smaller and more stylish than earlier models.'
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