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Is the waterpik dental jets worth it? There have been mentions about it here, and it sounds like a good idea to me, as I am having so many problems flossing (1-it HURTS, 2-it takes a year and a day).
There are so many out there, and they run from $20-60. I am willing to spend a little bit more if this is going to help me through the next 2 years. I just don't know what to look for. And the 5 million + options out there is just too confusing. Does anyone have any feedback?
yea i was up in arms as to if i really needed one as well. then i read more good things than bad on here and decided to go for it. ive used it a couple times already and i dont get braces til a week from tommorrow. and it does and awesome job!!! so can imagine how good it will be when i do get them. however are you planning on using it only to floss until the pain subsides? or along with flossing? i would say go for it. i went for the $60 one. its compact and easy to use...here is the one that i got. good luck with which ever one you chose.
Hate to say it, but even witht he waterpic you still have to floss. The Waterpic is good for getting the gunkies out of the braces more than anything. As to what to buy...I would stick to the cheap end of the lot as they all seem to have a short life span. I have a Conair Interplax (around 25 USD if memory serves). I like that one because you can adjust the pressure which is nice when your teeth are a bit sensitive from an adjustment.
I don't use my waterpik as an alternative to flossing, I use it to get the pop tarts and chicken etc out of my teeth that seem to stick the most in the brackets. You can't swish everything out, so the waterpik comes in handy for that in my opinion. I highly suggest getting one. Its much easier to get food out of your brackets! I have a cordless rechargable waterpik. Partly because i dont have to use it all the time just sometimes and i like my counters clear and not a lot of junk on them. The one I bought was $29.00 USD.
As for flossing, I was experiencing spots where it was painful, but if i could get the floss in there i flossed. Even now 4 weeks later i have spots that come and go which i attribute to teeth moving cause they seem to be the ones i notice moving but if you don't floss you are at risk for cavities. Keep trying to floss!
About the time it takes?.....You'll get faster at it. It takes me about 7 min or so to floss now. I dont have to use threaders any more, i can get the floss in there. The whole entire cleaning process is about 20 min. Or mine is.
Metal braces on Uppers and lowers-November 8, 2006
I would definitely say to go for it... I think my Waterpik is probably the best investment, well the second best investment I've made for the health of my teeth and gums. The first best is my Oral B Triumph Professional 9000 electric toothbrush. I love my dentist for recommending that one to me! But as for the Waterpik, that was something I decided I needed after reading so many good things about it on here. I have the same model as turrrtlelove22. I love that it has variable pressure settings. The first time I used it, I could barely stand it to be on 1, but now I go full blast at 10. It's really amazing how well the Waterpik works. Even after I brush and floss and rinse, thoroughly mind you, I'll break out the Waterpik and am quite alarmed at the amount of debris that was still between my teeth and in my brackets. I've also come to find that the Waterpik is awesome for blasting bits of food out after eating. It only takes a few minutes and it gets way more food debris out than brushing....I only wish I could take my Waterpik to work with me!
So yeah, I definitely recommend it...but remember that it does not replace flossing. For about a week or so after adjustments when my teeth are just way to tender to even think about flossing between them, I rely on the Waterpik. But the rest of the time I try my very best to floss every day, and then waterpik to get out what I've missed!
Debanding: 12/18/07!!! Yay!!!!!
Front Teeth Bracketed 7/25/2006
Back Teeth Banded 7/18/2006
Inspire Ice Uppers/front 8 w/ metal lowers
Treatment time: 19 - 26 mos.
Okay, that does it; I am going to invest in a waterpik! The WP-100 sounds like a good one, however, does anyone know about the WP-360? That is the cordless one. It doesn't say anything about different speed settings, but the cordless and the portability does sound tempting... But if the WP-100 does a better job, then I can forego the portability factor... help!
I just had my first first adjustment today, but it doesn't hurt yet (I hope to God that it doesn't get much worse), so I managed to floss earlier, and the floss threader does help speed up the process. Like everyone tells me: do my best and keep on flossing... thanks for all the info!!!!
I know you already decided, but honestly i've had my waterpik for about two years and it hasn't crapped out on me! I love it. I use it mostly after I brush, but sometimes before, too!
I'm so happy to hear that you've made the decision to get a Waterpik. I was actually just talking with my ortho about them today at my adjustment. He said that he wishes he could make it a requirement for his patients to get one! He said the same thing as I was saying in my earlier post, it seems like even when you think you've cleaned your teeth and braces as thoroughly as you possibly can, the Waterpik will find debris somewhere! As far as the WP-360 goes, from what I can tell (I looked them up on Amazon.com), it comes with different tips that control the pressure, but it doesn't have different pressure settings like the WP-100 does. If I'm wrong, someone please correct me. But my WP-100 counter-top model actually has 10 different pressure settings as well as several different tips. In addition to the "normal" tip there's a tongue cleaner, a special ortho tip that sort of has a brush on it, and a "flossing" tip that has a rubber tip on it that you can put between your teeth to blast debris out. Amazon.com currently has the WP-100 for $54.99, which I'm pretty sure means it qualifies for free shipping. Oh, and I also think the tank on the WP-100 holds way more water then the WP-360. I generally go through 2 tank fulls of water as it is, so I think it'd probably be even more of a pain the have to keep filling up the smaller tank, but that's just me! Good luck with your decision!
Debanding: 12/18/07!!! Yay!!!!!
Front Teeth Bracketed 7/25/2006
Back Teeth Banded 7/18/2006
Inspire Ice Uppers/front 8 w/ metal lowers
Treatment time: 19 - 26 mos.
Thanks, rmwolf83!!!!! I think I am going to get the WP-100 then. I was wondering why those things came with a big ol' "tank." I was looking at waterpik.com and amazon.com, with no mention of different speeds, I am assumming that it doesn't exist on the WP-360? It doesn't make sense that both sites mention the 10 diff speed on the 100, and not the 360.
Will have to do a bit more price shopping online, but I think amazon has the best price....
I might even spring for overnight shipping if my teeth start hurting the way it did when the braces came on.
Oh you will love your WP! I use mine every day! Could not live w/out it! I use it before I brush I have eaten food to blast the food out of the grill and then I can brush and then I use it to rinse. We had no power for 3 days over the weekend from and ice storm and I went in to my bathroom and filled my WR w/out even thinking about it and switched it on and then realized that I need power to use it I must say that a shower head on the really hard narrow pressure setting works when you are in a bind Ya gotta floss though. It is a pain in the mouth and I must admit I was sooo bad a flossing before braces but I try very hard to floss as often as possible now.
~Luci~
It will all be worth it in the end!
UpdatedSite
My god two tanks of water?
I use my cordless rechargeable and only fill it once. Must be what your eating ha ha.
I said i had this model but the other reason is because its easier to pack when your going places
Metal braces on Uppers and lowers-November 8, 2006
ghostmyimag3: doh! My selective reading syndrome kicked in the other night, sorry!
Does the WP-100 have different speed settings? I definately like the portability thing, as I spend the weekends at the BF's place.
Haven't ordered it yet. Have been procrastinating.
OMG! My teeth were fine after the first adjustment last night (only the bottom), but after flossing just now, it HURTS!!! It's slowly going away, but the front bottom is still throbbing. I know I am being a big ol' baby; I had to complain to someone understands the pain, and my mom doesn't, nor does the BF for that matter.... damn those born with prefect teeth.
My mother keeps offering food that I love but really shouldn't have. The woman offered me oxtail tonight. I was able to poke out most of the meat with a fork, but it's not the same. :drool:
And the 5 million + options out there is just too confusing. Does anyone have any feedback?
I must say that a shower head on the really hard narrow pressure setting works when you are in a bind 
doh! My selective reading syndrome kicked in the other night, sorry!