Beyond the bristles: new study shows Waterpik Sensonic toothrush can remove up to 80 percent of plaque without bristle contact

Water Pik issued a statement regarding a Journal of Clinical Oral Investigations study on whether four sonic toothbrushes could remove plaque without direct bristle contact. The company said the findings showed the Waterpik Sensonic removed 80% of the plaque at a distance of 2 mm beyond the bristles, making it nearly 30% more effective than a nearest competitor. The Colorado company also announced it is expanding distribution of the Sensonic Professional Plus toothbrush, now available to consumers through online retailers such as Amazon and Waterpik.com.5 tips for engaging orthodontic patients and getting better compliance “Not all power toothbrushes are created equal, and this research makes it clear that the key feature for any sonic toothbrush is its speed,” said Beverly Hills periodontist Dr. Sanda Moldovan, Diplomate of the American Academy of Periodontology, and a member of the American College of Nutrition. “This study suggests that only sonic toothbrushes with 30,000 strokes per minute or higher were able to generate sufficient thermodynamic surface forces to effectively remove plaque beyond the reach of the bristles.” The Journal of Clinical Oral Investigations study was sponsored by a grant from the Swiss Society of Dentistry. According to the researchers, toothbrushes utilizing high-speed side-to-side bristle actions may generate an acoustic transfer of energy and thermodynamic surface tension forces that in turn agitate air molecules, and contribute to plaque removal beyond the reach of the bristles. According to the Water Pik announcement, the Waterpik Sensonic removed 80% of plaque when 2 mm beyond the bristles, compared to 68% for the Sonicare Flexcare, and only 13% for the Oral-B Pulsonic. The Swiss research builds on past clinical research that has shown Waterpik Sensonic is up to 29% more effective than Sonicare for plaque removal. The bristle velocity for the Waterpik Sensonic is 2.2 meters per second, compared to 1.3 meters per second for Sonicare Flexcare. “There’s no doubt that the Waterpik Sensonic toothbrush is the most effective sonic toothbrush in the marketplace today,” said Jay McCulloch, Water Pik, Inc., vice president of marketing. “It has the fastest bristle speed, and has been clinically proven to remove the most plaque. This new study shows that it’s also most effective for removing plaque beyond the reach of the bristles. It is truly the Ferrari of power toothbrushes!” The Waterpik Sensonic features such as an ergonomic handle design, three brush heads, two speed settings, and a recharge indicator gauge. It also features a two-minute brushing timer with a 30-second quadrant pacer, as well as hygienic brush head covers and a travel case.For more information on Waterpik oral health products and detailed clinical research results, visit waterpik.com.