Waterpiks

ratface
ratface Member Posts: 1,337 Member
edited March 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
As so many of us have problems with our teeth after radiation I got a waterpik for Christmas, model wp-450. I've got to say I'm very disappointed. It seems to have very little pressure and I expected something more along the lines of what a dentist uses. It pulses and shoots water but not with any degree of force. My question is, Did I get a bad one, perhaps the battery isn't taking a full charge or is this what they are like. I don't know anyone who uses one to ask for comparison.

Comments

  • soccerfreaks
    soccerfreaks Member Posts: 2,788 Member
    #2
    waterpik
    I received a knock-off brand a few years ago, and mine works in excellent fashion, RF. It has multiple speeds and is also an AC-based model; while that sounds dangerous even to me, having a cord dangling from the water repository, it works quite well, too well at the highest couple of speeds.

    I am not sure whether anyone would recommend it, but I will frequently mix the water with mouthwash, my thinking being that this will replace the flouride treatment I would otherwise expect from toothpaste (toothpaste, which I do use, tends to dry the mouth out, especially noticeable right at bedtime).

    I have also switched back to an electric toothbrush (DC-powered :)) and find that now to be both tolerable and a step beyond the manual jobs I was using before.

    If it is not a matter of speed setting and if changing batteries doesn't help, consider trading it in for an upgraded model that has the dangling AC cord (assuming they are still permitted ... I do not know).

    Take care,

    Joe
  • Pam M
    Pam M Member Posts: 2,196
    #3
    MIne's Great
    Ratface,

    I recently got a waterpik Ultra (yay, early Christmas gift I hinted HEAVILY for), and it works great. I was told by my Onco's office to stop flossing while doing induction chemo, and the waterpik flushes food particles from between my teeth just fine, I think. I use it on the very lowest setting.

    If you get a variable speed, I must say that I had two dentists say they did not recommend the highest settings. One said low to med-low would be the only settings I should use (his concern was that higher pressure could force small particles deeper into gum tissue and could also worsen any infection present. The other said up to low-medium would be fine. Having said that, I have a cousin who uses his on high, and loves it.

    Like Soccerfreaks, my machine is not cordless. Oh, and Soccerfreaks - my waterpik box says you can put your mouthwash in the tank, so I would think your home mix would be OK - it's worked so far for you - I may experiment.

    Good luck, Ratface
  • ratface
    ratface Member Posts: 1,337 Member
    #4
    Pam M said:

    MIne's Great
    Ratface,

    I recently got a waterpik Ultra (yay, early Christmas gift I hinted HEAVILY for), and it works great. I was told by my Onco's office to stop flossing while doing induction chemo, and the waterpik flushes food particles from between my teeth just fine, I think. I use it on the very lowest setting.

    If you get a variable speed, I must say that I had two dentists say they did not recommend the highest settings. One said low to med-low would be the only settings I should use (his concern was that higher pressure could force small particles deeper into gum tissue and could also worsen any infection present. The other said up to low-medium would be fine. Having said that, I have a cousin who uses his on high, and loves it.

    Like Soccerfreaks, my machine is not cordless. Oh, and Soccerfreaks - my waterpik box says you can put your mouthwash in the tank, so I would think your home mix would be OK - it's worked so far for you - I may experiment.

    Good luck, Ratface

    Mine is cordless
    That may be the problem, lack of power with the battery only. Mine pulses almost on and off and just dosen't feel right to me. The instructions do say you can add mouthwash. I only have two sttings, low and high. The low setting is almost like not having the unit running.

Discussion Boards