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I’ve spent weeks trying and testing the best water flossers to clean between the teeth and along the gum line
How many of us can look our dentist in the eye and promise we’ve been flossing once a day? Flossing has always been the first thing to go from my morning routine when I’m in a rush to get out of the door to work and the last thing on my mind before climbing into bed. Luckily for my teeth, my tune has changed since testing some of the best water flossers on the market.
Water flossers, also known as oral irrigators, are completely different from the painful, harsh and environmentally unfriendly ways of traditional flossing tape. So, what is a water flosser? Dr Khurrum Hussain, a dentist and clinical periodontist at Bupa Dental Care explains, “These devices use a steady high-pressure, or pulsating stream of water to target the areas between the teeth near the gum line.”
They’re particularly useful for anyone with braces or who’s had dental work like bridges, simply because water flossers are more effective than tape at targeting those hard to reach areas. Using a water flosser to dislodge plaque from the gum line and any food particles causing discolouration can also help to whiten your teeth.
You can read more about the benefits of water flossers with advice from Dr Khurrum Hussain below, along with my own tried and tested reviews of this year’s best. If you’re in a hurry, here’s a quick look at my top five:
Use a water flosser before brushing your teeth with a toothbrush and toothpaste, advises Dr Khurrum Hussain. “This allows debris to be removed from the spaces between the teeth, enabling better fluoride absorption from the toothpaste onto the enamel.”
Always fill the reservoir with water. Dr Khurrum warns that using mouthwash instead of water can cause staining. He also advises, “If you have sensitive teeth, using lukewarm water can be less triggering.”
In terms of technique, position the end of the tip a few millimetres away from your teeth. Dr Khurrum says, “Direct the stream towards the gum, aiming for the spaces between the teeth to remove trapped debris. If you have gaps between your teeth, angle the nozzle towards each tooth.”
For practicality’s sake, he suggests closing your mouth around the nozzle to prevent splash back. “It typically takes two to four minutes to clean your entire mouth,” he adds.
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Once I got the hang of the water flossing technique (several sodden mirror episodes later), I tested each water flosser below for at least a week each. The three main things I evaluated were the water reservoir capacity and therefore how long each ran before needing a refill, the usefulness of the different mode options and the effectiveness of the head attachments. I also took into account any handy features like travel cases and self-cleaning functions. Here is what I found, starting with my favourite…
£88.64, Amazon
Best water flosser overall
We like: simple to use and packs away neatly
We don’t like: it requires frequent refills
This Waterpik Cordless Advanced is my overall pick for the best water flosser because, in my eyes, it’s almost perfect. It has three modes, low, medium and high and four attachment heads. I’d recommend starting out on the low mode as water flossing is quite a strange sensation if you haven’t tried it before. I’ve built my way up and now favour the high mode and I’ve really noticed a difference in my gum line and overall mouth health.
The attachments include two classic high-pressure jet tips for everyday use with different coloured collars, so you can share with a partner or family member. Secondly, a plaque-seeker tip with three thin tufts of bristles, which are designed to touch the teeth to gently dislodge plaque settled in crevices. This one works best for anyone with dental implants, crowns, bridges or veneers.
The third type of head is an orthodontic tip, with a tapered tip to remove bacteria and food debris from around the teeth and under the gums. It’s especially effective for anyone with braces.
I do have two minor complaints. The first is that this Waterpik doesn’t come with a tongue-cleaner tip like others on this list, although you can purchase a pack of two on Amazon for £11.74 at the time of writing. My second is that the water reservoir is only 210ml, meaning it needs refilling every 45 seconds or so.
That said, I only spend around two minutes water flossing as per Dr Khurrum’s advice so I only have to refill it twice. If you think this is going to get on your nerves, it might be worth looking at the Waterpik Ultra Professional Water Flosser which has a much bigger water tank, separate to the flosser.
Currently £28.29, Amazon
Best value water flosser
We like: the case makes it great for travel
We don’t like: the grip at the back is a little sharp
This Binefia water flosser surprised me the most of any I tried. If I’m being completely honest, I saw the price point and the unknown brand name and made a judgement. How wrong I was. This water flosser is my best value choice on this list because it has six jet tip attachments, a 300ml water reservoir, a sturdy travel case which has compartments to hold the attachments and charger and premium-feeling metal buttons.
Included in the box are two classic jet tips and an orthodontic tip, which are pretty much identical to those from Waterpik. But there’s also a periodontal tip with a soft tip to target periodontal pockets, a tongue cleaner (self-explanatory) and a toothbrush. I love the idea of having one device to both brush and floss my teeth although expectedly it’s not as effective as an actual toothbrush.
A small niggle is that the ridged grip at the back of this water flosser is a little sharp, especially as you have to have a decent hold while manoeuvring around your mouth. I also find it a little unnecessary that there are quite so many attachments, unless you’re buying a water flosser specifically to help periodontal pockets. But all in all, it’s a great value workhorse.
Currently £72, Spotlight Oral Care
Most hygienic water flosser
We like: the UV-C LED steriliser eliminates bacteria
We don’t like: some parts feel a little cheap
Spotlight’s water flosser has the biggest water capacity of any I tried thanks to the 400ml reservoir. It was the only one I didn’t have to refill part-way through my clean. The modes include gentle, clean and pulse, plus a UV setting to sterilise any bacteria inside the water tank.
The heads included are pretty standard although, again, I appreciated the inclusion of a tongue scraper. I found myself switching between the classic jet and the tongue scraper most often. The other two would work well for anyone with any dental concerns.
I thought the UV-C LED sterilisation was inspired. I found the water tanks on the other water flossers I tried quite tricky to clean, because the openings tended to be quite narrow. For that reason they’re also quite hard to dry and ended up having droplets stuck inside until my next use. The prospect of bacteria did concern me. This Spotlight water flosser solves that.
It should come as no surprise that this is such an excellent option, since it has been designed by Dr Lisa and Dr Vanessa Creaven, dentists and founders of Spotlight Oral Care. The only reason it’s not in my number one spot is that the water tank and the attachments feel a little cheap and plasticky. The actual flosser unit feels more premium, with silver buttons and branding.
Currently £79.95, John Lewis
Best water flosser for power
We like: the quad stream technology is surprisingly effective
We don’t like: you only get two attachments
In contrast to every other water flosser I tried, the Philips is tall and thin rather than squat and wide. For that reason it’s trickier to fit into a cupboard, although it’s easy to disassemble or pack into the provided travel bag. I also found it easier than others to hold in my hand, because the unit isn’t so wide.
The most impressive thing about this Philips is the ‘quad stream’ technology. Whereas the tip on every other water flosser I reviewed offers a straight flow of water, Philips’ quad stream head is X-shaped, to separate the flow into four water jets (as shown on the box, above). The result was a faster clean, so although the water tank isn’t wholly impressive at 250ml, I only had to refill it once to cover my whole mouth.
This water flosser has three intensity modes which can also be used under the regular clean function for a continuous flow, or the deep clean mode for a pulse effect. A pulsating water setting is more effective than a continuous flow for shifting stubborn food particles.
Overall it’s a fresh take in a market where a lot of water flossers aren’t doing much different to each other. I just wish it came with more than two attachments.
£60, Argos
Best budget water flosser
We like: excellent quality matte black surface
We don’t like: the water tank isn’t transparent, so you can’t see how much you have left
Ordo is an eco-friendly oral hygiene company determined to keep innovative dental hygiene within your budget. Their brand new water flosser is dentist-approved and competes with higher end products in terms of features and performance.
There are three pressure settings which offer up to 2,000 water pulsations per minute, plus a DIY pulse button and two jet tips with different coloured collars so you can share the unit with someone else. It’s a little disappointing that this water flosser only comes with one type of jet tip, although I suppose that’s part of the reason Ordo can keep the cost down.
My only other slight complaint is that the water tank isn’t transparent, so you can’t keep track of how much water you have left. Nevertheless, I think Ordo has done an excellent job at keeping the price down on a powerful and premium feeling water flosser. It’s a small thing, but even the iPhone-style packaging makes this product feel luxurious; releasing the top box from the bottom is a sensory experience in itself.
£29.99, Amazon
Best water flosser for braces
We like: the large water reservoir means less refilling
We don’t like: bulkier in hand than others
Coming with an impressive eight attachments, which granted is a little unnecessary, is this Hangsun Water Flosser. It’s the bestselling product in Amazon’s “power flossers and irrigators” category with more than 10,000 ratings, the majority of them five star. It’s fair to say I was intrigued.
On first impressions I thought it looked and felt a little plasticky. It’s also bulkier than others I tried, which made it trickier to grip. If I’m being super picky, I also found the indented handle too high up on the device for comfort. It meant my hand was too close to the tip, which meant I couldn’t reach it quite as far into my mouth as I would have liked to. This was especially a problem for reaching the molars at the back of my mouth. It’s fine if you don’t mind holding the handle further down.
However it couldn’t be easier to use, with three intensity modes and a power button. I stand by my point that eight heads is unnecessary, but it’s useful having the choice and means you don’t have to buy specialist heads, as you do with the Waterpik at the top of our list. For the price, I think it’s a great buy.
£19.89, Amazon
Best water flosser for ease of use
We like: swapping heads is a doddle
We don’t like: it’s quite heavy when full
The cheapest on this list and the easiest to use, this Pecham water flosser is the one to buy for dipping your toes into the water flossing world before breaking the bank on a premium brand. It features a 300ml water reservoir, which is on the larger side, and has normal, soft, pulse and DIY (customisable pressure) modes and four attachments.
This water flosser is quite basic, with no particularly discernible features, but it does share qualities with more expensive flossers. For starters it’s IPX7 rated waterproof, meaning you can use it in the shower, has a plaque remover head and comes with a waterproof travel bag.
It certainly can’t match the pressure of water flossers at the top of this list, but it’s a decent affordable option that left my mouth fresh and clean.
Yes. Periodontist Dr Khurrum Hussain says, “I recommend using oral irrigators alongside an effective tooth-brushing technique, focusing on toothbrushes and interdental brushes.” He adds, “Oral irrigators are particularly beneficial for patients undergoing orthodontic therapy who may have difficulty using interdental brushes or dental floss.”
However, Dr Khurrum recommends that those diagnosed with deep periodontal pockets stick to interdental brushes instead of water flossers, even if using a specialist attachment.
Yes, water flossers are safe for sensitive gums. “The pressure from oral irrigators usually does not trigger sensitive gums,” confirms Dr Khurrum. “If sensitivity is triggered, then reduce the pressure of the oral irrigator or the frequency of use, which will allow irrigated gums to normalise.” He recommends seeking advice from your dentist if the sensation is persistent.
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