If you work with a dentist, hygienist, or specialist who is still on the fence about the safety of a Waterpik Water Flosser you now have a literature review that should put their hesitation to rest. In the February issue of the Compendium of Continuing Education in Dentistry, Dr. David Jolkovsky, a diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology, practicing periodontist in Davis, CA and lecturer at UCLA School of Dentistry, wrote a literature review designed specifically to address the safety of a Water Flosser.
“It was not a surprise to me that the majority of the published studies that specifically evaluated different areas of safety were conducted using the Waterpik Water Flosser. Water Pik conducts high quality research that is published in peer-reviewed journals for public review,” commented Dr. Jolkovsky.
This review was divided into four sections: histological findings, subgingival pathogens, probing pocket depth and clinical attachment levels, and bacteremia. These categories were chosen to address specific questions and misunderstandings centered on the safety of the Water Flosser or personal anecdotal beliefs that are not based on scientific evidence.
The studies unequivocally showed that a Waterpik Water Flosser reduces inflammation on a cellular level, removes bacteria from deep periodontal pockets, does not cause damage to the junctional epithelium, and is in the same range as brushing teeth, flossing, and using wooden sticks in the incidence of bacteremia.
This evidence should put to rest any concerns about using or recommending a Waterpik Water Flosser. It is important to make clinical decisions on the best evidence available and disregard anecdotal information or assumptions. This will help provide the best recommendations for your patients that ultimately provide the desired oral health outcomes. It is important to note that not all oral irrigators, dental water jets, or water flossers have the same manufacturing specifications, and research findings for the Waterpik Water Flosser are not transferable to other brands or designs.
For more information, visit the Waterpik Inc. website at waterpik.com. Waterpik can also be found on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/WaterpikOralHealth and Twitter: http://twitter.com/Waterpik.
