Waterpik Review & Giveaway!

Brushing and flossing are two activities that are equally important and ones that should be done everyday. However, many people do not complete the whole job on a daily basis. According to recent research (interesting article by the way), only 55% of people floss on a daily basis. After reading through some other pieces of research, I learned that it is possible that only 20% of people actually floss on a daily basis. Either way, the statistics are shocking!

According to Waterpik, here are some reasons people give to avoid the task:
1.) It is a hassle.
2.) Lack of time.
And the list goes on…

Thankfully, Waterpik has come up with an innovative device that makes flossing a whole lot easier. Introducing the Ultra Cordless Dental Water Jet (Model WP-450).

The Ultra Cordless Dental Water Jet is a lightweight cordless unit that allows you to floss with water instead of dental floss. The Waterpik can be used by everyone, even those with braces (it comes with a special attachment). Clinical studies have shown that the Waterpik can be “up to 93% more effective than dental floss” when used properly, leaving you with healthier gums and teeth! “Waterpik® dental water jets are the #1 choice of dental professionals. Waterpik® is the only brand proven to be an effective alternative to traditional dental floss for removing plaque and reversing gingivitis.” The Waterpik aims to remove bacteria found both under the gum line and between teeth (the places that flossing and brushing cannot often reach). To leave your mouth feeling fresh and clean, you can even use your favorite mouthwash with this Waterpik unit. In addition to a great clean, the Waterpik massages and stimulates your gums.

“Product Features:
-Push-button dual pressure control system with low for sensitive gums, high for deep cleaning
-Reservoir can be filled without removal
-Convenient, recharging power supply
-No batteries needed. Stays charged for approximately one week
-Easy to store when not in use
-Tips rotate 360° to reach all areas of the mouth
-Reservoir capacity is 210 mL (7 oz)
-Pressure range is 45 to 75 psi
-Two-year warranty”

Interesting Tidbit
“A Recent research study out of the University of Southern California (USC) School of Dentistry (released in February 2009) was conducted to measure the ability of an oral water jet product (the Waterpik) to remove biofilm (commonly known as plaque). The study showed that when the dental water jet was applied to a tooth for three seconds, 99.9% of the biofilm was removed (virtually total elimination).”

Each WP-450 unit comes with one orthodontic tip, one standard jet tip, 1 Pik Pocket® Tip and 1 Tongue cleaner. The Waterpik WP-450 sells for a reasonable $49.99 and it is sold at retailers across North America.

Review
Waterpik offered to send me one of their Ultra Cordless Dental Water Jets to try out for myself. Personally, I hate flossing because it is awkward, so I was excited to try out the Waterpik and see how it stood up to traditional dental floss.

The first time I used the Waterpik, it was a definite surprise and an interesting adventure. Since I did not know what to expect, the first time was quite humorous. In my experience, the Waterpik felt like the water syringe that dentists use, however, the Waterpik felt slightly more powerful (even on low) and I had to deal without the suction. Because I was overwhelmed by the whole situation, I wasn’t quite sure what to do with the water (spit it out immediately, hold it in my mouth until my mouth was full, or let it dribble out of my mouth). By the end of my first ‘Waterpik session’, I had to change into a new shirt. Luckily, as time has passed, I’ve gotten more used to the Waterpik and no longer have to change my shirt after each use. :)

Slowly, I have been able to work up from the low setting to the high setting and the Waterpik is getting easier to maneuver. I have also had a chance to try out each of the tips provided with the Waterpik (except for the orthodontic tip, since I do not have braces). My favorite attachment is the Pik Pocket® Tip. I feel like it gives me the best and most precise clean!

Aspects of the Waterpik that I would alter -- First, because the unit I tried out has the water storage tank attached to the handle, it is a bit bulkier than I would like it to be. The size of it makes it somewhat awkward to hold. However, because it is portable, I doubt there is anyway to get away from this. If you would prefer a smaller handle, you can always purchase one of Waterpik’s Countertop models instead. Second, I would like if in the future, Waterpik made the standard jet tip more pliable. I thought that the material used in the current tip was too rigid and a bit larger than it needed to be. Lastly, I would love if Waterpik included a carry case for either the unit and the tips or just the tips. As it is now, I am at a loss at where to store the tips so I am just storing them in a plastic bag until I find a better solution.

Overall, I my experience with Waterpik has been a good one! I feel that it is doing just as good of a job (if not better) than manual flossing. I also love that this allows me to get under my gums and at the very back of my molars (which I always have a hard time reaching). The Ultra Cordless Dental Water Jet makes flossing on a regular daily basis easier and much less of a hassle. For the price, I think this is a great investment for anyone that hates the task of flossing or just wants a better clean in general!


How many winners will there be? Five.

What can you win? Each winner will receive an Ultra Cordless Dental Water Jet (Model WP-450) from Waterpik.

To enter, Tell me how often you brush and floss your teeth. This question must be answered to gain an entry in the giveaway.

Each of the following will give you one extra entry in the giveaway. Please make sure to leave a separate comment for each thing you do:
-Telling me the name of one store that carries Waterpik products. This information can be found here at the bottom of the page.
-Reading through the article titled “Oral Care and Overall Health”, then coming back here and leaving me a comment telling me one thing you learned.
-Subscribing to my blog via email or RSS.-Adding my *new* button to your blog sidebar.
-Following me on Twitter (ihchicky). Please leave your Twitter name.
-Tweeting about this giveaway (with a link to this page) on Twitter. Please leave a link to your tweet. You can do this once a day.
-Blogging about this giveaway on your blog. Please leave a link to your blog post in your comment. 3 ENTRIES! Please leave 3 seperate comments if you blog about this giveaway.

Important Entry Details: The above entries (main and bonus) can only be submitted once per person (except for the tweet entry, which can be done daily). Please do not use more than one blogger account or add additional anonymous comments to gain extra entries. This is not fair to everyone else and this practice is strictly prohibited. If a person is found to be using more than one account to enter the same giveaway, they will be disqualified from that particular giveaway, as well as all future giveaways.

This giveaway will end on Friday, June 12th at 11:59pm (Central Standard Time). After the giveaway has ended, the winner will be picked randomly using random.org. EMAIL RULES: In order to win, you must provide a valid email. I will be notifying the winner by email only. Please make sure your blog profile includes your email address and make sure that it is visible. If you do not have a blogger account, please make sure you have included your email address in your post. If there is no email address provided, to contact the winner, another person will be chosen. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winning email notification. If a response is not received within 48 hours, a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is open to US only.

Good Luck!