How to Brush Your Teeth With an Oral Irrigator

Adding oral irrigation to your regular brushing routine can significantly reduce plaque and toxins. This is especially helpful for individuals with braces, dental implants and other orthodontic work.

To use your irrigator, fill it with water and position the nozzle against your gum line and between teeth. Be sure to empty the reservoir when done, as stale water can breed bacteria.

Brushing

Amidst the toothbrushes, toothpaste and mouthwash on display in a supermarket aisle is a device that looks like it’s come straight from a science-fiction movie – sleek, modern and screams technology. It’s called an oral irrigator, or waterpik and it can be a cool addition to your dental care routine.

Its nozzle directs water or a special solution at hard-to-reach areas of the mouth that can’t be reached by a brush or floss. The water’s pulsations clean the interdental spaces, massage the gums and improve blood circulation.

Oral irrigators are recommended by dentists and can be used in conjunction with brushing twice a day and flossing for a full oral hygiene regimen. When using an irrigator, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions and use the lowest pressure setting to avoid injuring your gums. You may experience some bleeding at first, but this should stop as your gums become healthier. Be sure to empty the reservoir and clean the irrigator after every use to prevent a build-up of bacteria.

Flossing

A dental irrigator delivers a stream of water or a special solution that removes bacteria from parts of the mouth that can’t be reached with a toothbrush and toothpaste. Its nozzles can be directed to the internal and external surfaces of your teeth, the gum line and gaps between teeth as well as under bridges or dental implants.

Using an oral irrigator can improve your cleaning routine as it removes food debris and plaque between your teeth before brushing them and helps the fluoride from toothpaste to reach more of your tooth’s surface. However, it’s not a substitute for regular brushing and flossing.

To use an oral irrigator, lean over the sink and attach the nozzle to your mouth. Start with a lower pressure setting and adjust as necessary. Direct the pulsating stream along your gum line and in between your teeth as you go tooth-by-tooth. When you have finished empty the reservoir and disconnect the nozzle.

Rinsing

Adding oral irrigation to your daily routine can remove more bacteria and improve gum health significantly. It is much quicker, easier and more effective than flossing, reducing toxicity in the mouth as well as improving plaque removal in hard-to-reach areas.

Rinse your teeth with water and a therapeutic fluid from the irrigator’s reservoir. It’s best to do this before brushing as it loosens food particles and makes the tooth surface more absorbent.

Place the nozzle in your mouth and direct it at the gum line and gaps between teeth, pausing for a few seconds at each space. Move the nozzle around your mouth and ensure that every area is treated, paying particular attention to the molars and other hard-to-reach spaces. Remember to rinse and empty the reservoir after use as stale water can encourage bacteria growth. Use the irrigator no more than two times per day and be sure to follow all safety precautions. This can also help reduce discomfort or bleeding in the gums.

Checking

Using an irrigator every day, in addition to brushing twice daily with fluoride toothpaste and flossing, can significantly improve your oral hygiene. This can help prevent gum disease, plaque build-up, and other oral health problems.

Oral irrigators, also known as water flossers, can effectively remove food debris from over, between and under teeth. Using a miniature pump, these powerful little devices send pulsating jets of water through a plastic tip that quickly disrupts and sweeps away debris from the hard-to-reach places in your mouth.

The pulsations clean the interdental spaces, and can be adjusted to suit your comfort level. Start by placing the nozzle on your molars and then moving it along the gum line, stopping at each gap between teeth for a few seconds. The water irrigator also works to massage the gums and improve blood circulation. The process is comfortable and doesn’t cause bleeding in the gums (as long as it is not caused by other dental or medical procedures). This method is also effective for people with braces, bridges or dentures.