Many of us are guilty of thinking brushing twice a day is enough for a good dental routine. However, flossing is an often forgotten, yet essential part of keeping our teeth and gums healthy.
If, like us, you’ve struggled to truly get to grips with fiddly flossing tape or interdental sticks, then water flossers may be the answer. These gadgets use pressurised water to give a thorough clean in between the teeth after brushing.
To make picking one out a little easier, we tested a range of market leaders to find the best for boosting your oral hygiene – here are our picks at a glance but scroll down for more detailed reviews.
Do dentists suggest you use water flossers?
Regardless of how good you may be, brushing alone isn’t enough because you can only access 60% of the surface of your teeth. Adding flossing into the mix is essential for keeping gums and teeth healthy as it reaches the remaining 40% between the teeth and just below the gumline.
‘Water flossers are a brilliant addition to interdental cleaning,’ says Dr Richard Marques, a Harley Street dentist. He also suggests adding diluted mouthwash to the flosser for a thorough antibacterial clean. However, as good as a water flosser is, it won’t replace manual flossing completely, Marques explains.
He recommends continuing to manually floss when you can. But don’t worry, you don’t need to use the water flosser and regular floss every day after brushing – any form of interdental cleaning each day is good.
Are water flossers actually beneficial?
Yes, they absolutely are. Their USP is how good they are at getting to those hard-to-reach areas right at the back of your mouth, and they can also help reduce gum bleeding, according to Marques.
If you have fixed braces or retainers, water flossers can also help remove food debris and plaque from behind them more easily than manual flossing.
How we tested water flossers
Over the course of two weeks, our panel blind tested seven different brands of water flossers to see how easy they were to use, as well as considering their overall performance and design.
Before and after images of their teeth were then analysed by dental health professional Farah Karim, who visually graded any changes.
Then back at Women’s Health HQ, our experts put each product through its paces using a VISIA image analysis machine to assess how effective it was at removing plaque and food deposits on the buccal surfaces of the teeth. Finally, we assessed each one on noise level, weight, size and run-time.
Philips Sonicare Cordless Power Flosser 3000 Oral Irrigator
This water flosser scored well overall, but it really earned extra brownie points for how easy it was to hold (some flossers can be quite bulky). The testing panel also praised its wide-angle range, which allowed them to get to those harder to reach areas.
It has six different pressure variations, so you can find the perfect one for you. Testers said it didn’t cause any irritation and it wasn’t too aggressive.
£69.99 at
Waterpik Ultra Cordless Water Jet Flosser WP450
Performing best in the lab, this water flosser was the most effective at removing plaque and food deposits on the buccal surfaces of the teeth.
Our panel of testers also praised its cleaning abilities and said it helped them reach their wisdom teeth at the back of the mouth. It made cleaning easier for those who wear retainers, too.
£54.99 at
H2ofloss Water Flosser
It may only cost a little under £20, but that doesn’t mean this water flosser gives a budget clean. H2o has cleverly designed it with a gravity ball at the end, which means that it will continue to spray water, whichever angle you hold it at.
Our panel liked that it holds enough water to last the full minute of flossing, but some said the larger water tank made it a little bulky to hold.
£19.49 at
Binefia Cordless Water Flosser
Those with sensitive teeth shouldn’t shy away from water flossing, especially with this Binefia model has five settings, which include ‘soft’ and ‘gentle’ modes. Our panel was impressed with its cleaning ability, so much that one tester said it ‘cleaned better than regular floss’.
Testers also found it ‘easy to grip’, and liked that it came with six replaceable nozzles, which can be kept together neatly in the handy travel bag provided.
£19.38 at amazon.co.uk
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