High-tech or a waste of money? A review of 10 water flossers will tell you the answer!

Ever since I reviewed electric toothbrushes last time, questions related to water flossers have frequently appeared in the background, and the calls for reviews are getting louder and louder.

So our technical guy (yeah, the same him) finally finished the water floss review before the Chinese New Year!

“Is dental flossing really a consumerism trap?”

"My gums bleed when I floss. Is it its problem or mine?"

"Which is better, domestic or imported water floss?"

Don't worry, let's talk slowly -

This is really not a tax on IQ.

Water flosser, also known as an oral irrigator, is an auxiliary cleaning tool for cleaning the oral cavity, just like toothpicks, dental floss and interdental brushes.

The principle is to spray the water in the water tank from the tip of the nozzle in a pressurized form, so as to clean the soft plaque and food residues between the teeth that cannot be cleaned by a toothbrush, such as the shredded meat stuck in the teeth.

To help everyone understand better, we can think of a tooth as a rectangular block. In addition to the root surface, the tooth has five surfaces, namely the occlusal surface for chewing food, the labial and buccal surface, the lingual and palatal surface, and the two surfaces adjacent to the front and back teeth.

A toothbrush can clean the occlusal surface, the lip and cheek surface, and the tongue and palate surface, but it is powerless to clean the mesial and distal adjacent surfaces, and it is also unable to reach the deep part of the gingival sulcus.

Therefore, it is not enough to rely on toothbrush to clean the teeth. Auxiliary devices are still needed to clean the gaps between teeth, such as dental floss, interdental brush and water flosser. Their combined use is much better than using them alone, and can clean teeth more effectively.

Currently, there are two types of water flossers on the market: portable and household desktop.

This time we bought 10 of the more popular portable water flossers on the market to see what their main differences are. We also provide some purchasing suggestions to help you find your dream "floss".

The sample fee for this evaluation is 4295.98 + the testing fee is 22800 = 27095.98 yuan.

The evaluation dimensions include water pressure intensity, microorganisms, battery life, and water tank capacity. If you are interested, read on!

There is always a group of "black fans" about water flossers. Their gums bleed when they use water flossers, and then they "criticize" water flossers and finally label them as "never recommended".

In fact, if you find bleeding gums during use, you should first determine whether there is inflammation. If it is gingivitis or periodontitis, you need to stop using it, otherwise it will become more serious.

If it is caused by pressure, it is recommended to reduce the water pressure to a suitable level before use. Because the higher the water pressure, the greater the test on your gums.

Most of the ten water flossers we bought this time use pulse technology. Only sample No. 1, Fei L Pu, uses "micro-explosion airflow technology", which is similar to a "high-pressure air gun" - first use air jets to blow out food residues in the teeth, and then use water to flush away the residues.

This also means that this type of water flosser requires less water flow. At the same time, we also found that the water tank of this water flosser is very small and cannot be disassembled. Compared with other water flossers, it is more like an "air flosser" and is a little gentler.

So we sent the remaining 9 samples to the laboratory and tested their water pressure and pulse frequency using the highest level + default nozzle.

The data results are as follows:

From the experimental results, we can see that the four water flossers No. 2, No. 5, No. 8, and No. 9 all have relatively strong water pressure and fewer gears, so friends with sensitive gums that are prone to bleeding can consider No. 1, No. 3, No. 4, No. 6, No. 7, and No. 10.

I wonder how many of you never clean the water tank when you use water floss.

A dentist previously discovered that the number of bacteria on a toothbrush after three weeks of use is 80 times that of toilet water...

Considering that the water tank of a general water flosser is usually placed at the bottom for a long time, and the bathroom is humid, we simulated the state where it is usually forgotten to be used.

Store tap water in the dental floss and observe the growth of microorganisms after leaving it for a period of time:

From the results, the performance of the three models 3, 6, and 10 is very good. Even if you forget to clean the water tank and leave it for two days, you can use it directly.

However, we still recommend that you develop good habits: each time after cleaning, pour out the remaining water, clean the water tank and silicone tube, etc., and turn the removable water tank upside down to dry.

The problem of portable water flossers needing frequent charging is a major pain point for many people when using them. When you are in a hurry to go out before a date and want to clean your teeth, it turns out that it is out of power...

So we took the full water state as the standard, using the maximum gear and the gentle gear (lowest gear) to test how long a fully charged water flosser can be used.

The battery life is as follows:

Judging from the data, the battery life of models 4, 6, 7, 9 and 10 is very good.

Compared with household desktop ones, a major disadvantage of portable water flossers is that they need to be refilled with water repeatedly. It is really troublesome to refill water several times for each flush.

In fact, the size of the water tank is one aspect, and the single usage time when full of water is also related to the design of the water floss itself.

So we filled ten water flossers with water and tested the water tank capacity.

We also tested the single-use time using the standard gear (middle gear) and made a comparison. The specific results are as follows:

From the data in the figure above, we can see that a larger water tank does not necessarily mean a longer flushing time. Some water flossers can flush for 3 minutes after being filled with water, but some can't even last 1 minute.

Therefore, if you find it troublesome to fill water and want to finish the job quickly, you can consider No. 1, No. 6, and No. 10.

In fact, cleaning products such as dental floss are relatively private items and are necessary for some people to use every day.

Therefore, the feeling during actual use may be more important.

We specially invited a young lady in the team who is undergoing orthodontic treatment to try out 10 samples. We summarized her experience and the configuration of the samples she purchased, hoping to provide some reference for everyone.

Having said that, although the water flosser can help us clean our teeth better, it cannot replace a toothbrush, and its effect on dental plaque is also very limited.

So even if you have an oral irrigator, you should remember to brush your teeth well and go to the hospital for teeth cleaning regularly.

How important is it to have healthy teeth to the quality of life? Those who have spent a lot of money on fillings and implants should have a say in this.

Have a good set of teeth, everything you eat tastes delicious~

Editors | Rebecca, Tang Tang

Design | Sour

References:

[1] Feng Yan, Lin Liangqin, Chen Ruibin, et al. Evaluation of the effect of pulse water flosser on inhibiting dental plaque and gingivitis[J]. Journal of Fujian Medical University, 2012, 46(3): 212-214.

[2] Zhong Chunmei, Ge Yuanshu, Zhou Jia. Evaluation of the effect of water flosser on oral hygiene maintenance in fixed orthodontic patients[J]. Chinese Journal of Practical Nursing, 2010, 26(14): 61-63.

[3]Xie Ning, Ding Xiaojun. Water flosser improves periodontal tissue during fixed orthodontic treatment[J]. Chinese Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2012, 19(4):433-434.

[4] Zhou Quan, Xu Juguang. Comparison of the effects of water flosser and interdental brush in periodontal maintenance[J]. Zhejiang Practical Medicine, 2014(1):54-55.

[5] Sharma NC , Lyle DM , Qaqish JG , et al. Effect of a dental water jet with orthodontic tip on plaque and bleeding in adolescent patients with fixed orthodontic appliances[J]. American Journal of Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopedics, 2008, 133(4):565-571.

[6]https://www.zhihu.com/question/385465810/answer/1344138487

Source: Dad Review