Use These Dentist-Approved Water Flossers for Squeaky Clean Teeth

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WE ALL KNOW we should be flossing every day for the best oral hygiene. But let’s get real here - how many of us actually do? Officially, the American Dental Association (and every dentist ever) recommends flossing twice a day, but we’re willing to bet that most of you reading this aren’t doing that. It can’t be just us. Sure, it’s easy to do, but it’s also kinda the worst, right?

Obviously there are benefits to flossing, like removing debris and plaque from between your teeth, helping to prevent gum disease and reducing the likelihood of bad breath (to name just a few). But there are also reasons we tend to avoid flossing, like pain, inflammation and, in some cases, bleeding. If you’re one of those people who avoids flossing, water flossers could be the answer to your problems. “Research shows that oral irrigation, such as using a water flosser once or twice a day can help reduce plaque, gingivitis and gum disease,” says New York-based cosmetic dentist Daniel Rubenshtein, DDS.

Best Water Flossers

“Almost anyone can benefit from using a water flosser,” says Joyce Kahng, DDS, a cosmetic dentist in Orange County, CA, especially if they have implants, bridges or braces that can make flossing difficult. However, she notes, “it’s important to know that water flossing is not a complete alternative to string flossing - it’s an adjunct.” Most dentists, including Dr. Kahng, recommend using a water flosser in addition to traditional flossing. However, if you’re not flossing at all right now, adding a water flosser to your routine is better than nothing. As for which water flosser to use, well, that depends on a few things. These are the best dentist-recommended water flossers for every budget, lifestyle and skill level.

What To Consider

Tabletop or Portable

Originally, water flossers were big hulking contraptions that took up a ton of space in your bathroom. Thankfully, technology has shrunk them down into a variety of options, even portable versions, but size is still a deciding factor in which water flosser you should choose. “I prefer the tabletop models because they have a large water reservoir,” says Dr. Kahng. “The portable ones are great for travel and can even be used in the shower, though they require frequent refilling due to their smaller reservoirs.” When choosing a water flosser, think about how much space you have in your bathroom, how often you can handle refilling the water reservoir, access to a plug (most tabletop water flossers need to be plugged in to be used) and whether you want to be able to take your water flosser on the road with you.

Corded or Cordless

Typically, water flossers need to be plugged into a power source to be used, especially if they are larger, tabletop models. If that’s the sort of model you want, make sure you have space in your bathroom that close to a wall outlet or other plug-in power source so you can use it comfortably at your sink (the hoses only stretch so far). Portable models and some smaller tabletop designs are cordless, which is convenient if you have a small bathroom or take it on the go with you, but you’ll likely sacrifice some power and you’ll need to be conscious of battery life and charge time.

Reservoir Capacity

A water flosser’s reservoir is the tank that holds all the water that is then cycled through the machine to clean your teeth. As Dr. Kahng noted, tabletop models tend to have larger reservoirs, which means you’ll have to refill them less. Smaller reservoirs will usually hold at least the amount of water needed for an effective water flossing session, but you’ll need to refill them often (sometimes as often as before every use).

Water Pressure

“The important thing [for a water flosser is] its ability to pressure wash in between the teeth and below the gumline in a uniform fashion,” says Los Angeles-based cosmetic dentist John Marashi, DDS, and that all comes down to water pressure. Many water flossers will allow for a range of pressures depending on your sensitivity and comfort level. “10-100 psi is the acceptable range and 70-80 psi is my sweet spot,” advises Nicolas Aguilera, a cosmetic dentist at Apa Aesthetic in New York City. “Too little pressure and nothing is happening, but too strong can damage gums and soft tissue.” It’s beneficial to choose a water flosser that has multiple pressure settings so you can find what works best for you (and change it up if you need to), but if your model has just one, make sure it’s in the right range.

Tips

“Many water flossers come with a few different tips and you want to be mindful of which tip you’re using and how to use it,” says Dr. Aguilera. The classic tip is meant for everyday use and pretty much all models will come with that. Others you might see included are a special tip for orthodontics, a toothbrush tip, a tongue cleaner tip, and specific models meant to be used with types of dental work like bridges and implants. Most people can get away with using just the classic tip, but if you have dental work, orthodontics, or may want additional cleaning options, look for a model that comes with additional tips.

ADA Seal

Like toothpastes and toothbrushes, the American Dental Association gives certain water flosser models their seal of approval after testing them to see if they clean effectively and safely. Dr. Aguilera recommends choosing a model that has an ADA seal to make sure it’s going to do the best job cleaning your teeth.

How We Selected

To find the absolute best water flossers for men, our intrepid team of testers and dentists have tried several different types, and evaluated each one based on their effectiveness, size, and ease of use.

ION Professional Cordless Water Flosser Teeth Cleaner

Both Dr. Kahng and Dr. Aguilera recommend Waterpik water flossers, especially this one, because “they’re products tend to last longer” and this one specifically is “reliable and durable,” says Dr. Kahng. It’s a classic tabletop model with a few upgrades that integrate professional style water flossing with user friendly versatility.

Because it’s a larger tabletop model, it’s packed with features like 10 different pressure settings, a large water reservoir that allows for 90 seconds of water flossing and a built-in timer that pauses every 30 seconds to help you keep track of the time (so you know if you’ve spent too much time on one area, for instance). It also comes with seven different tips and a rotating head that allows you to reach every nook and cranny of your teeth and gums.

All those features are packed into a small but mighty package. This tabletop model is smaller than many others (it’s only about 6 inches by 6 inches) and best of all, the entire base is rechargeable, so you don’t have to keep it plugged in to use it. That’s a godsend for people with small bathrooms or limited outlets. The rechargeable lithium-ion battery holds about 4 weeks of charge, so even if you use it every day, you only need to charge it once a month. There’s even an LED charge indicator to let you know when the battery is running low.

Read more: Best Oral Hygiene Products

Water Flosser

When you choose a portable water flosser, you often need to sacrifice some features only because they’re smaller devices with less space to pack in technology. This portable flosser, however, seems to have hardly sacrificed any. Notably, the lengthy charge (up to 80 days!) which Dr. Khang says is why she recommends this one for patients looking for a portable option. It’s charged with a USB, as well, which means you don’t have to hunt down a special cord every time you charge it (or carry it with you on the go).

In terms of cleaning ability, this one is powerful with 160 psi pressure. While you can’t choose your own pressure, there are three different settings - standard (the gentlest), turbo (stronger) and a pulsing mode that is meant to massage your gums. The head also rotates, allowing you to easily clean hard to reach areas of your mouth and get in all the nooks and crannies.

The reservoir is on the small side, which is expected in a portable device, but the whole package is water resistant which means you can use it in the shower if that’s the kind of thing you want to do. The reservoir is easy to refill, as well, and you don’t need to take the whole thing apart in order to refill it, which is the case with some other portable models.

Cordless Water Flosser

We hate to say it, but lots of water flossers rely on functionality and aren’t necessarily the nicest to look at. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but for those of us that like form and function, the Quip water flosser sits perfectly in the middle of that venn diagram. This sleek, well-designed water flosser looks great sitting on your bathroom counter but also effectively cleans your teeth both at home and on the go.

From a functionality standpoint, “Quip’s technology can’t be beat,” says Dr. Rubenshtein. “It has a rotating magnetic floss tip, two pressure modes, two water flow settings, plus a large reservoir with extra-wide top-open lid and magnetic charging cable.” Those two pressure modes, gentle and deep clean, allow you to choose your pressure based on your comfort level (we suggest starting with gentle since the brand doesn’t disclose the exact psi) and the water flow modes allow for either a continuous steady stream of water or “on demand,” meaning the water only flows when you’re pressing the button. That’s a good thing if you’re trying to reach certain areas or if you’re new to water flossing.

The large (for a portable device) water reservoir is the full length of the flosser itself, allowing for more water storage and thus a longer floss time (a full 60 seconds on gentle mode). It’s also easy to refill, with a, flip up top, but we should note that it works best if you have a pretty deep sink to get the full device under the faucet. The magnetic charging cable is innovative as well, and uses a USB adapter to plug in to the wall (though the charging cord itself is custom). Overall, it’s a sleek, well designed water flosser that pretty much anyone will find effective.

Aquarius

When you think of a water flosser, this is probably what you picture. It’s one of the more classic models from Waterpik, which remember both Dr. Aguilera and Dr. Kahng endorse (they both mentioned this one by name as well). It’s on the larger size - in fact, it’s the largest on this list - so you’ll need ample room in your bathroom to store it - not to mention an easily accessible wall plug to keep it plugged in. But if you have both of those things, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better water flosser than this one.

From a features standpoint, this has it all. There are 10 different pressure settings, which are easily changed with a dial on the side, that allow you to adjust the pressure between 10 and 100 psi so you can find the exact right pressure for your comfort level. There are two modes (floss and massage) and it comes with seven different interchangeable tips. There is also a built-in timer that pauses every 30 seconds that allows you to easily keep track of how long you’ve been flossing, not to mention a swiveling head that allows you to clean even the smallest nooks and crannies of your mouth.

Since this water flosser is large, the water reservoir is equally large. It holds 22 ounces of water, which allows for a full 90 seconds of flossing without the need to refill. It’s also dishwasher safe, which means cleaning is a breeze. If space isn’t an issue for you, and you don’t care about portability, this classic water flosser is one of your best bets from both a functional and efficacy standpoint.

Proclaim Custom-Jet Oral Health System

Calling this futuristic device a water flosser may be dumbing it down a bit. Unlike traditional water flossers which use a small tip to manually clean between your teeth, the way you would use traditional floss, and are recommended to be used in addition to flossing, the Proclaim “pulses 22 ounces of water through a [custom made] mouthpiece in just 7 seconds and can replace flossing,” says Dr. Marashi, who was not a fan of water flossers until he tried this.

Here’s how it works: you visit an accredited dentist who makes a 3D scan of your mouth which is then used to create a custom mouthpiece. Once the mouthpiece is made, it can be attached to the machine, which then floods water through the mouthpiece into your mouth with precision. Using it takes a bit of getting used - you have to lean over your sink to allow the water to drain - but the whole process is a fraction of the time it takes to use a traditional water flosser and without any movement on your part.

“The custom-fitted mouthpiece allows for precision placement of the water jets and each area is subjected to the same amount of time and volume of water,” says Dr. Marashi. “It eliminates user error, removes both food and bacteria and can improve overall oral health.” It’s a high price tag for a water flosser, but the ease of use and effectiveness makes it ideal for beginners to advanced users and the same device can be used with multiple custom mouthpieces so more than one person in your household can safely use it.

How To Use a Water Flosser

Most water flossers, except the Proclaim which uses a custom mouthpiece, can be used the same way. Using the proper tip (most people can use the classic tip - unless you have certain kinds of dental work), “start by following along your gum line” before moving into the areas between your teeth, says Dr. Kahng. “It’s best to begin at a low setting and work your way up to a high setting as your gums adapt.”

Remember you want hard-but-tolerable pressure in order to adequately clean between your teeth and gums. Pressure that is too low won’t be effective. Position the tip at a 90-degree angle to your teeth and gums and make sure it’s not touching or resting on your gums.

Most dentists recommend following a water flossing session with traditional floss to really make sure you clean between teeth effectively, especially if you don’t have much space between teeth. If you want, you can use traditional floss in the morning and a water flosser in the evening, says Dr. Aguilera. He also says that you can “increase the antibacterial benefits of your water flosser by filling the water basin with a combination of alcohol-free mouth rinse and water.”

Meet the Experts

• Daniel Rubenshtein, DDS, is a cosmetic dentist in New York, NY

• Joyce Kahng, DDS, is a cosmetic dentist in Orange County, CA

• John Marashi, DDS, is a cosmetic dentist in Los Angeles, CA

• Nicolas Aguilera, DDS, is a cosmetic dentist at Apa Aesthetic in New York, NY

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