Waterpik Ultra Water Flosser
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Customer Reviews of Waterpik Ultra Water Flosser
Customer Review: My dentist will be very happy!
Summary: 5 Stars
As with most people, my dentist badgers me about flossing. He will be very happy that I purchased the Waterpik, as I tend to use everyday, if not twice a day. It's extremely easy to use and is more convenient than regular flossing, at least for me. I have a permanent retainer on my bottom teeth, which makes it difficult to floss properly, so I tend to avoid flossing altogether. The Waterpik has made it much easier for me to floss regularly PLUS it has proven to be more effective than regular flossing.
The adjustable pressure settings and multiple attachments make it a very good product for both my wife and I to use. I am able to use higher pressure settings, while it has lower settings that will work well for her sensitive teeth. The water tank is easy to fill and empty and the attachments are easy to swap out.
The standard attachments work very well, as does the "pik pocket" attachment designed to give your gums a deep cleaning. I have limited use for the orthodontic attachment, but I imagine it would have been nice when I had full braces. The tooth rinse attachment may have its uses for some people, but it seemed to just make a mess all of my counter and mirror. The toothbrush attachment might also be useful for some, but I have an Oral B electric toothbrush, so I won't ever use that one.
Among all the benefits to this product, there are few drawbacks. First, it has a fairly large footprint, so it may be difficult if you don't have a lot of counter space in your bathroom. We have a dual vanity, so we have room between the sinks, but not everyone has that luxury. Second, the instructions say to unplug the cord when not in use, but there is no mechanism to store or wrap up the cord, so it just sits there by the plug. This is not ideal, since your hands and/or the plug may be wet when you get ready to use the device. Finally, the handy storage tray that sits on top of the water tank doesn't have enough slots to store all of the attachments that come with the device. Even if you keep one attachment installed on the handle, you are still one slot short. This is not a huge deal for me, as I've determined that there are few attachments that I have no use for, but it may be an issue for some.
Overall, these are minor deficiencies that don't really relate to the quality or effectiveness of the product, but I felt they were worth mentioning. None of these would impact my rating or my decision to buy this product again. They are just slightly annoying.
I would definitely recommend buying this product, even if you are one of the few people that flosses regularly. It is very easy to use, and is very effective.
Customer Review: A great upgrade over the cordless variant, more powerful too!
Summary: 5 Stars
I am not ashamed to admit that I need to take better care of my teeth. While I brush and use mouthwash frequently, I hate hate HATE to floss, it just doesn't sit right with me. Of course, this results in my gums stinging a fair amount and the dis-approving lectures from my dentist everytime I go for a cleaning/exam.
After one of those visits, the hygenist he had there recommended a water pik if I didn't like flossing, she mentioned they work just as well as flossing and they're less of a hassle as well.
Well lo and behold there was credence behind her words. I initially used the cordless version of the Waterpik and while it did do an admirable job of cleaning, the small reservoir and the pump's dislike of adding mouthwash/rinses to the chamber was a source of quite a bit of frustration on my part. It ended up futzing out after about half a year.
I decided to upgrade to this version since it had the larger reservoir and the extra tips. I also didn't mind that it wasn't cordless, my countertop is more than adequate to hold it next to my electric toothbrush. I should note however that the connector hose is rather stiff and doesn't have a very long reach. Extend it carefully as it doesn't like to bend very much.
I've been using this puppy every evening for the past month or so and I notice a marked improvement in my gum-line. They're stinging almost not at all and the initial bleeding has stopped as well. I found that adding mouthwash directly to the water does a great job of cleaning out the gunk that's accumulated between my gums and certainly leaves them feeling clean and pink.
I should advise that after about level 7 in the pressure dial (it goes up to 10), it really starts to shoot pretty darn hard. Even after using it for a while at level 7, when I switched to level 9, the pressure significantly increased to the point my gums started bleeding again and got quite sore after a few sessions. They've subsided since then, but it should be noted above level 7, it feels like you're using a pressure washer on your teeth, so increase the pressure gradually so you don't hurt your gums in the process.
All in all, a fantastic product. I'd say the only downside is that the pumping mechanism is rather loud, but so was the cordless version, so I guess it's the nature of the pump that generates the noise, but it should be noted nonetheless.
Customer Review: working well at 2 months
Summary: 5 Stars
I've had this product for about two months now; my dental hygenist knows I'm not a fan of flossing (to say the least) and she said, "If you're not going to floss, please get a water pik." Then she stopped and said, "I'm not telling you that you HAVE to. But I think it would help."
Well, OK. So I went home and did some research and bought the WaterPik Ultra.
I like how small it is on the bathroom counter. I like that I can adjust the water pressure (what do people use the highest levels for, stripping paint off cars?!). I thought it would be louder than it is, since my partner had experience with waterpiks in the 1970s and he remembered them as quite loud. He sleeps right through it when I use this model.
My nightly habit is to use my sonicare toothbrush, then add a little listerine to the waterpik reservoir and fill it with warm water. I use the regular jet tip, then I'm done.
I know feelings aren't everything, but my mouth *feels* cleaner than ever before. And yes, I'm occasionally surprised at the sort of stuff the waterpik dislodges and washes out.
In April or May I have my next dentist appointment; that will be the real test, to see if I get the same "You know, you ought to floss more" lecture, or if instead I hear "Wow, your gums look great!"
So we'll see. But in the meantime I love the thing. I think it helps that it's a gadget, and kind of fun to use, whereas flossing never was fun for me. (I got better at brushing when I got the sonicare, too.) But that could just be my dork tendencies showing through.
Anyway, I love it. I feel a bit odd rhapsodizing about oral hygiene, but . . . whatcha gonna do?
UPDATE: I am just back from my 4-month dentist checkup. My dental hygienist and my dentist were AMAZED at how healthy my gums were, and how little tartar/plaque was on my teeth, and how my gums didn't bleed at all. I only used the basic plain tip, and I used it on one of the lowest-pressure settings (maybe 2 or 3). If I put anything extra in the water it was a capful of listerine-- not a high enough amount to have made a difference, said my dentist, so it was just the action of the water that did the trick.
But-- it did the job! Success! So to any of you out there who hate to floss, use this machine regularly and you will save money at the dentist!
Customer Review: Good dental health product with some design flaws. Also make sure you are using the right jet attachment!
Summary: 4 Stars
I've been flossing for years, but this is my first water jet product. I wish I had bought something like this a decade ago because my teeth and gums would be a lot healthier.
Pros:
- jet current is very strong on 10. If you're getting a weak jet, you are probably using the wrong nozzle. (That's what I did to break it! See notes at bottom)
- angled jet nozzle sprays water behind and between teeth, where a brush can't reach
- water jet is gentler on gums and teeth than brushing, massages gums
- leaves my gums tingly w/ the clean feeling of having been freshly sandblasted
- very fast warranty response and parts replacement
Cons:
- I really hate the flip top storage compartment. It gets in the way when trying to lift off the lid to fill water. Also, there are 4 slots, but 5 nozzles (not counting the one inserted into the handle), so one of them has to sit loose inside the lid.
- flimsy feeling handle and coiled hose
- no real difference between 6 on the dial and 10 while using turquoise nozzle
- very noisy and creates a lot of rumbling during use
- takes up quite a bit of space on my limited sink countertop
All in all, a good product for the price and a good investment in your dental health. When I first got this unit, I was using it wrong. I chose the narrowest head (yellow) and cranked it up to 10, thinking I'd get the maximum blast force for my money.
The jet felt very weak, but I continued to use this configuration without trying the other nozzles, until 2 months later when the spring fell out of the operating handle and broke apart. I found out from customer service that yellow should be set to 3 maximum. They promptly sent me a new hose/handle (arrived in 3 days from CT). Replacement was very easy and took 5 mins.
Even in those 2 months of sporadic use before breaking, I noticed an improvement in my dental health. In conjunction with the Waterpik, I have also been using an Oral B electric toothbrush and floss. My gums stopped bleeding after 2 wks of initial use, a problem I've had for years with manual brushing.
So now, I use the turquoise head on 10. Very powerful and leaves me feeling fresh, although still noisy with the rattling.
Customer Review: Waterpik first timer (for the product AND periodontal disease!)
Summary: 5 Stars
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!