Only a "slight" exaggeration
Okay, greatest invention "since the wheel" is an exaggeration. However, I have been using an oral irrigator for four years now and it is the most amazing thing I have run across. I did write a while back how I used it to totally reversed and heal my advanced staged periodontal disease, as well as address minor bleeding gums.
I'm not exaggerating when I say, if everyone owned and used one of these, then dentists would go out of business. That's why you will never have dentists promoting them en-masse.
If you use one consistently, you can "hypothetically" eliminate the dentist from your life!!!!
Inadequate oral hygiene
I think most don't understand how even with flossing, our oral hygiene is basically inadequate, which is why we have to go to the dentist all our lives. To prove it to a "health nut " friend I talked into purchasing one of these things.
I told him to use it after thorough brushing and flossing (which is the normal procedure), but keep the stopper in the sink to catch the water, and observe how much debris is flushed out of the mouth AFTER brushing and flossing. It's these bits of food particles that feed the bacteria in the mouth.
Totally unlike an electric toothbrush….
….the oral irrigator doesn't touch the teeth (unless you are using one one of the deep cleaning, under the gumline attachments like I use). The Oral Irrigator shoots "pulsating" bursts of water to pull microscopic bits of food and plaque from the teeth (at least the Hydrofloss has this pulsating action).
Don't think of it as a "garden hose" hosing down the driveway, but a "vacuum cleaner" using the suction action of the pulsating water to literally pull debris from between teeth and even from under the gum line.
There are different attachments to my Hydrofloss Oral Irrigator
…….and for me, when I had the one bad tooth with advanced periodontal disease, the "cannula" attachment, a plastic needle like attachment, allows a gentle stream of water (mixed with healing herbs), to get under the gumline to flush out the periodontal pocket that had developed.
A "periodontal pocket" is basically where germs get between the teeth and the gumline, causing the gums to start to separate from the teeth, collecting more germs, burrowing deeper, eventually the tooth will get loose and fall out or must be pulled. I had a bump in my gum a ways above the tooth, that's how I knew the bacteria had "colonized" under the gumline.
"Life 101" of tooth loss
That's basic "life 101" when it comes to why we lose our teeth. But the oral irrigator reversed the problem by using the cannula tip go underneath the gumline flushing the germs form the pocket, allowing the teeth to re-attach themselves to the gum as normal.
Quite amazing to see the body heal itself right in from of your eyes like that. It took almost a year of dedicated flushing of that periodontal pocket, but that tooth is totally back to normal!!!! I just make sure I use my oral irrigator every day for maintenance.
Why I recommend the Hydrofloss
There are several different brands, except I will say I have only used the Hydrofloss (First oral irrigator picture above). I also have a small travel irrigator, which I screw into the sink at hotels and such.
Although, I have to make two points in that, the Hydrofloss has a "pulsating" action which acts as a vacuum to have a sucking action to pull debris from teeth, I'm not sure if the others operate like that. The generic travel irrigators that screw into a sink do not have that pulsating action, but they still have some value [to me] when I am traveling.
The second point is that the Hydrofloss has the "cannula" attachment shown below for the VERY IMPORTANT function of cleaning below the gumline, I'm not sure if the others do. The cannula tip attachment is VERY IMPORTANT for addressing periodontal disease and deep under the gum cleaning, including delivery of the natural PerioCleanse Oral Irrigator fluid below the gumline. Thus, you can purchase another brand, but I would recommend your choice has pulsating action, and the cannula tip attachment, they both are GREAT features. If unsure about which to choose, go with the Hydrofloss, YOU WON'T REGRET IT!!!
….below the cannula tip for the Hydrofloss, that is inserted [partially] under the gumline [usually, just a milimeter or two of the tip will be under the gumline] to flush out bacteria pockets with water and the healthy healing formula of PerioCleanse Oral Irrigator fluid.
Update 4/15/17 – My Waterpik Aquarius Review [shown below]
I purchased a WaterPik Aquarius…..
….on Amazon for $60, mainly because my Hydrofloss is getting old, and I was curious about the WaterPik, which is hyped to be good. I like it very much, except for one caveat I'll mention in a second.
I like it because it is stylish (I got the Black which looks Macho Cool and modern in my bathroom). It gives a nice blast of pulsating water, stronger than the Hydrofloss it seems to me, it gets chicken from between teeth with just pulsating water, very cool.
The only caveat to the Very Good WaterPik Product……. is the I prefer the Hydrofloss "cannula" attachment mentioned above, because the Hydrofloss Cannula needles actually goes below the gumline for a deep clean (even reaches below gumline behind back wisdom teeth), the Waterpik is more like a rubber pointed, tip of a pencil attachment sits on the gumline and shoots water under the gum.
Also the Waterpik cannula, they call it a "Pocket Pik" attachment, or something like that (for Periodontal Pockets), is not small enough go between the teeth and get under the gumline like the Hydrofloss Cannula attachement. If the WaterPik had a needle like Cannula Attachment like the Hydrofloss, that inserts below the gumline, especially between teeth and behind wisdom teeth, I could consider it the "perfect" oral irrigator.
But I do give the WaterPik a thumbs up, its actually $59 compared to the $105 Hydrofloss, in general a better deal, and for the time being, I actually have both on my bathroom counter, which looks kinda silly, but I like the WaterPik for after meals quick cleaning, with it's strong blast of water, multiple attachments, and I use the Hydrofloss once a day for an under the gumline cleaning with the Hydrofloss Plastic Needlelike cannula attachment, that goes directly under the gumline.
I think that Hydrofloss cannula tip attachment is the key for my own ongoning prevention of periodontal disease however.
My New Irrigator for Travel
Also wanted to note, I've recently purchased the WaterPik Cordless for travel. Though it doesn't have as much power as the Hydrofloss at Home Irrigator that is my personal fav', and the water reservoir has to be refilled a few times in a cleaning session, nonetheless the Waterpik Cordless serves its purpose for traveling, not really small, but light enough to do the trick.
There are other brands that can be used in the shower, because, until you get the hang of it, and oral irrigator can get a little messy, with water shooting all over the place. (I learned over time to keep the lips sealed with the nozzle working in the mouth, and then allow a small opening in the lips to let the water drizzle out into the sink).
You can use straight water which I often do, normally after my quick after-meals cleanings, but I really love to use a natural herb based concentrate solution called PerioCleanse Oral Irrigator fluid, which mixes with the water, once a day, for a deep clean below the gumline, using my Hydrofloss and its cannula tip .
Surgery? I don't think so…….
I can't say enough about this product. Don't be fooled by what dentists tell you (or don't tell you). When you come in for a deep cleaning or scaling, dentists are basically doing the same thing, although in six month intervals, which is not enough to keep your mouth totally clean, but enough to keep you coming back to them with your checkbook.
The dentist told me I needed surgery to cut away the dead tissue in my gum around that periodontal pocket, now my tooth is totally healthy and healed. I love sticking it to "The Man".
~stay healthy~
Go to all my articles in "Staying Well" by clicking the photo below or click here
10 Responses
Please provide any updated information on fighting Perodontal disease. I am very interested. since I have been told this is incurable.
Thank You
If you go to the bottom of the article, below where it says ~stay healthy~ the third link is where I get into detail about my periodontal disease. The first link underneath ~stay healthy~ is where someone describes my condition, which seemed to be standard periodontal disease (just to make sure we are talking about the same condition). Fortunately, my condition was only affecting one tooth, and via using the oral irrigator, it took me a year of daily flushing with the cannula tip that goes below the gumline to flush out that periodontal pocket. In the second year the tooth came back to almost normal, I had one “flare up” when I think a strawberry seed got below the gumline and irritated the pocket. By the third year, the tooth and gum was back to normal.
However, the discomfort in the gums, with the bleeding and such reversed itself after the first few weeks of using the irrigator, the rest of that first year is all about keeping the periodontal pocket flushed out, so it could heal itself, which it did…..
Write back if you have any more questions…….
Hello Doug,
I am new to your blog and stumbled upon your comments re: wisdom teeth removal. I find it's sooo challenging to locate dentists who are 1. Informed and Caring 2. Able to help patients without financial gain as their motivator.
Therefore I wonder if you personally know or have been to a dentist that you felt truly had your best interest in mind? Thank you!
Sincerely,
Vee
Hey Vee,
You know, I really haven’t. Same for doctors.
I think two interests are diametrically opposed, that being your teeth staying healthy and them making money. Very hard for me not to be cynical about them and the medical industry. If I had to give anyone one piece of crazy advice, I would tell them to go to the dentist and tell him that you don’t have insurance, and want to pay out of pocket. When you do that, they won’t try to get you into these expensive, elaborate procedures because they know they can’t buill your insurance.
But, once a person really gets into the oral irrigaror, oil pulling and other next level dental care, you won’t need the dentist.
Doug Wallace
Hello! I just purchased an irrigator and was wondering what ‘healing herbs’ you use in yours? Thank you.
Hi Carmen,
You’ll never regret buying that irrigator if you use it consistently.
I was in the article, and you may have missed it, but I’ll give that information here.
The “Healing Herbs” I use are in a liquid solution called “Perio Cleanse”. it is in a small pump bottle, so when I fill my irrigator with water, I just put a few pumps of that liquid solution in there and swish it around a litt to mix with the water. The link to Perio Cleanse on Amazon is here https://www.amazon.com/Natures-Answer-PerioCleanse-4-oz/dp/B0002BB79K/ref=sr_1_2_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1483648396&sr=8-2&keywords=periocleanse
The list of the healing herbs (In liquid form) in Perio Cleanse, is as follows:
mentha piperita (peppermint) oil, calendula officinalis flower extract, echinacea purpurea flower/leaf/stem extract, chamomilla recutita (matricaria) flower extract, bio-saponins (yucca schidigera) root extract, quillaja saponaria root extract, dioscorea villosa (wild yam) tuber extract, smilax regelii root extract, centella asiatica extract (gotu kola), zanthoxylu americanum bark extract (prickly ash), water, origanum vulgare leaf oil (oregano), lavandula angustifolia (lavender) oil, eugenia caryophyllus (clove) bud oil folic acid, olea europaea (olive) leaf extract, thymus vulgaris (thyme) flower/leaf oil, eucalyptus globulus leaf oil, phytophenolin (centipedia cuninghamii), cinnamomum zeylanicum bark oil, citrus grandis (grapefruit) seed extract, juglans nigra (black walnut) shell extract, ubiquinone (coq10), camillia sinensis (green tea) leaf extract, aloe barbadensis leaf juice (aloe vera).
…..I could soppose you could do your own indivual extracts of which ever of these herbs on this list you want to use, and add them separately yourself, but I am assuming they know why they have what they have in the formula in what porportions, so for me it the most convient way.
Also note, after most meals, I only use straight water, but at some point in the day after one of my meals, I run the oral irrigator over my teeth twice, once with straight water, with the regular attachment that never touches the teeth, but is held close to the teeth to pull the bits of food chunks in the teeth that are there (you’ll be amazed how many little bits of food are still in the teeth even after brushing, leave the stopper in the sink to catch the water and observe), then the secone time, I use the Hydrofloss Cannula attachment, to run through under the gum like, this second time is when I use the Perio Cleanse fluid. I only do that second tiime once a day. After meals, I only use straight water. That works for me because the healing herb solution is being delivered under the Gumline with the Hydrofloss Cannula attachment, If that makes sense, 4-5 times a day straight water after meals, once a day with the Hydrofloss Cannula attachment for nder the Gumline work, using a couple of pumps of the Perio Cleanse solution in water
Good Luck!!!
Doug at Gaia Health Blog
Hello I was wondering if the cannula attachment comes standard with the hydrofloss?
Hi Ben,
No, the Cannula attachment does not come standard. What comes standard is 4 of the regular attachments in 4 different colors (for family use I assume), and then they give a couple of soft tipped, pointed attachments that you can comfortably press directly against the gumline.
Even if cannulas were standard, they seem to wear out in a few weeks, mainly because the tip gets soft and hard to work with, or the cannula gets clogged up and no water comes out. Sometimes that second situation can happen in a couple of days, though I determined that happens because of the Perio-Cleanse oral irrigator fluid I add to the water, it is kinda dense and syrup texture that may get stuck in the cannula. I find myself spending about $40 evert 2-3 months on new cannulas, that is the only downside to buying them, in that, in a year, you pay the price of the hydrofloss a couple of times over in just in cannulas.
It seems like they intentionally make the cannula so that it wears out in a few weeks to make money off you having to buy new ones, but I really like the Hydrofloss cannula concept, and how it gives me a deep daily cleaning under there gumline, as well as keeping old peridontal pockets clean and flushed out, it’s worth the $100-180 I pay every year for cannulas. No other irrigator except the one mentioned below has that real thin cannula that actually goes below the gumline. As mentioned in the article, Water Pick and others have deep cleaning attachments, but they are not small enough to fit below the gum line, Waterpick, though I like everything else about it, and others designed their cannula-like attachments to sit at the gumline level and shoot water below the gumline. I find that not to be as effective, because Hydrofloss’ cannula can get between the teeth and go under the gumline between the teeth.
Although I was shopping around to see if any other company has a metal cannula, which would not wear out, and could allow me to not have to continuously keep buying new cannulas.
Below is the link to the VitaJet Cannula and Irrigator, which has metal Cannulas. I’m gonna buy the cannula first (just a $20 risk) and see if it is thin and small enough to work like the Hydrofloss and go below the gumline, and below the gumline between and in back of teeth and so forth. If so, I’m gonna try the Vita Jet after all my Hydrofloss Cannulas run out (I’ve got @30 of them), if I don’t like the VitaJet cannula, no sense in ordering their irrigator, I’ll stick with my current Hydrofloss method because it works best for me.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0073X5MUA/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_6?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=AFKTLKGXZXGVP
https://www.amazon.com/OraTec-Pro-3000-ViaJet-Pro-Irrigator/dp/B005VQZ30K/ref=sr_1_sc_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1509657806&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=vitaket+irrigator
Good luck, let me know if any questions
Doug at GAIA Health Blog
Your Comments
Just wondering if you bought the vita jet &metal cannula & how you liked it? I am planning to buy an irrigation system & wondering which is the best .. HydroFloss or Vita Jet? I also am concerned about getting below the gumline & cleaning out the pockets… thanks, Sheryl
Hi Sheryl,
I never bought the Vita Jet, I still have a Hydrofloss, I’m just happy with when all is said and done, having used it for 8-9 years and observing, through dedicated and consistent daily use, my periodontal pockets have healed and closed up, meaning the gums have re-attached to the teeth where those same gums/pockets had previously separated from the teeth. I’ve had a few “flare ups” such as I remember, a strawberry seed got under my gumline, but the solution was the same tools, but more Perio Cleanse fluid, and flushing out that area maybe 4 times a day instead of one until it healed back up. Such a holistic miracle!!!So I’m sticking to the same formula….
Though I never tried the Vitajet, I’m actually more comfortable with the plastic cannulas of the Hydrofloss because they “seem” safer to me than the metal, as pertains to when you are probing below the gumline, I don’t wanna accidentally puncture anything. Since I still love the Hydrofloss solution as pertains to their cannulas and how they keep my under the gums clean, I didn’t want to change, the only issue, as I mentioned in the article I think, is the cannulas often don’t last long, they can clog up with irriagator fluid, though 70% of the time you can use your fingernails to swipe across the tip and clear them out. Then you get lucky and a cannula can last you 3-4 months. I think it depends on how much PerioCleanse Irrigator fluid you use, it’s fairly thick. Nonetheless I may go through about 30-40 of them a year which may hit me up for 80$ a year, but that’s a drop in the bucket, and worth the money for perfect dental health and totally eliminating any dental bills.
I actually have two irrigators on my bathroom sink. The Hydrofloss, and I heard so much about the WaterPik, I wanted to try it (I think I mentioned that in the post). I like the Waterpick more because the blast of pulsating water is stronger, it can literally blast tiny bits of chicken from between the teeth. I just use the waterpick after every meal, no irrigator fluid just water after brushing. I use the hydrofloss once a day to go under the gumline to keep everything clean and healthy.
Since the Vitajet is only $52 on Amazon, you could in theory do what I did, get the Hydrofloss and then try the VitaJet and see which one you want for Cannula work. I just think that Hydrofloss does the job for that under the gumline work, So I’d have to recommend getting the Hydrofloss first, since I know it works, and if you find your cannulas wear out too fast, then test out the Vita Jet. You might not have any problem with the Hydrofloss cannulas at all
Let us all know if you try the Vita Jet.
Any more questions, feel free to write back. I hope this is al of some help, we find out as we get older how much of a benefit it is to invest in taking care of you own teeth.
Doug at GAIA Health Blog