High-quality oral hygiene procedures are the key to dental health. Dentists recommend using additional hygiene products in addition to basic hygiene products when brushing your teeth, because the brush cannot always reach hard-to-reach places. At home, as an additional hygiene, brushing your teeth with pressurized water can be used. Such cleaning can be carried out thanks to a device specially made for this purpose, which is called an irrigator.
Irrigators appeared on the dental market not so long ago, but they have already established themselves. After all, brushing your teeth with this device can be equated to professional oral hygiene. Using an irrigator, you can remove more than 70% of dental plaque from the oral cavity . In addition to the cleansing effect, irrigators massage the gingival margin, improving its blood supply. The massage effect is achieved due to the pressure with which water enters the mouth. You will never achieve such a result using only a standard brush and paste when cleaning.
How are irrigators arranged?
This apparatus consists of:
- hydraulic pump;
- water tanks;
- handles to which the tank and hydraulic pump are attached;
- interchangeable nozzles.
When should I use a dental irrigator?
Therapists-stomatologists recommend to each patient to get this "miracle device". After all, thanks to the irrigator, you can not only mechanically remove dental deposits from hard-to-reach places. If a special solution is placed in the liquid container instead of water, then a therapeutic effect (anti-inflammatory and anti-caries) can be achieved.
But especially dentists recommend using irrigators to people:
- With crowded teeth.
- People who have a tendency to develop gingivitis and periodontitis.
- Orthodontic patients.
- They have persistent bad breath.
- Patients with diabetes.
- Women during pregnancy.
When is it not recommended to use irrigators?
Dental therapists do not recommend the use of irrigators for patients who have recently undergone surgery on oral tissues. Also, the irrigator cannot be used, so as not to aggravate the situation, with an exacerbation of the chronic stage of periodontitis and gingivitis.
It is better to stop brushing your teeth with pressurized water if your gums start to bleed after using the device and this bleeding does not go away with time.
Children can be trusted with an irrigator only after they have ideally mastered the procedure for oral hygiene. Even after this, the irrigator must be used under adult supervision to prevent the jet of water from entering the baby's breathing apparatus.
How to use the irrigator correctly?
The irrigator should be used after each brushing and toothpaste. To do this, you need to remove the liquid container and fill it with either warm water or a special solution for irrigators. Dentists recommend the use of solutions, since in addition to mechanical cleaning they give a positive therapeutic effect.
Cleansing the oral cavity with an irrigator should last fifteen minutes. The fluid jet supplied under pressure should be directed at a right angle to the gingival surface. It is also possible to supply water at an angle of 60 degrees.
What are the long-term results of using an irrigator for oral hygiene ?
- Oral hygiene is close to professional hygiene.
- The possibility of developing periodontitis, gingivitis and carious process is excluded.
- Removal of plaque from inaccessible places, which serves as a focus of pathogenic microflora.
- The massage effect leads to an improvement in blood circulation in the gums, metabolic processes are accelerated, and the regeneration process is faster.
- The work of small and large salivary glands improves.
What to look for when buying an irrigator?
There are several types of irrigators on the market:
- Stationary.
- Road.
- An irrigator that is connected to the water supply.
All three of these types have their own characteristics.
The stationary device is very convenient and easy to use. However, it requires electricity to operate. In addition, such an irrigator can hardly be called small due to the large size of the water tank. However, if the irrigator is purchased only for home use, then you can stop at this option.
The travel irrigator is small in size and requires batteries to operate. That is, such a device can be used anywhere, since electrical outlets are not needed for its use.
An irrigator that connects to the water supply is the easiest device to operate, since a water tap is required for its operation. This device is perhaps the most purchased.
What is the best irrigator?
Before making a purchase of an irrigator, you need to study user reviews about the models you are interested in. As a rule, user reviews are the best guide when buying.
It should be noted that all models on the market have sufficient power to completely get rid of plaque. However, there are still several models with the highest power: AquaPulsar OS-1 and Aquajet LD-A7. Typically, such irrigators are purchased by orthodontic patients wearing braces, patients with dental implants and artificial crowns. After all, these devices, due to the high pressure of the jet, are able to clean the most inaccessible places.
The AquaPulsar OS-1 irrigator is made in China. It is powered by electricity. The device works in two modes: spray and jet. The power of the water flow can be adjusted. The maximum water pressure reaches 800 kPa. This irrigator can continuously work for half an hour.
The set of such an irrigator includes four nozzles: two standard nozzles, one nozzle designed to clean the tongue and one brush nozzle. That is, this irrigator can be used as a toothbrush.
The AquaPulsar OS-1 irrigator can be mounted on the wall. To do this, the kit has everything you need.
Aquajet LD-A7 irrigators are manufactured in Singapore by Little Doctor. Such a device also works from an electrical outlet, that is, it is stationary.
Such a device operates in four modes:
- Mild (used in children and people with sensitive teeth).
- Massage.
- Average.
- Intensive.
The liquid pressure in the device can be adjusted.
The irrigator kit includes only standard nozzles in the amount of four pieces. These nozzles have multi-colored rims. This is convenient when the family uses one irrigator. Family members will never confuse their attachments.
Using pressurized water cleaning, you can not be afraid that the tissues of the oral cavity and teeth will be damaged, which cannot be excluded when using a toothbrush with paste. After all, with daily use of the brush, a small amount of the enamel layer of the teeth is polished off. In addition, with active brushing, you can accidentally damage the soft tissues of the oral cavity. In the case of an irrigator, such nuances do not occur, because in this case you do not need to make any movements. Cleaning is carried out due to the pressure of water. In addition to cleaning, a massage of the gingival margin is also performed.
