How to use a mouth irrigator and what are its benefits

Most patients do not have much information about what a mouth irrigator does and how it is used, and unfortunately, only a minority use this device regularly.

Oral rinsing is especially recommended for those suffering from periodontal diseases (gingivitis and periodontitis), wearers of dental braces or implants, crowns, bridges, and other types of fixed dental work.

A mouth irrigator is recommended for everyone, as it is a device that thoroughly cleans the interdental spaces, where no other oral hygiene tool can truly reach. 

Oral irrigator – a must in your daily oral hygiene routine

An oral irrigator is a device that uses water to irrigate the tooth surfaces with pressure. The water cleans all areas, including the interdental areas, with a powerful jet and is an excellent way to clean prosthetic work (crowns, bridges, etc.), orthodontic appliances, and dental implants.

There are several types of oral irrigators, with their own reservoir or connected to the sink, with larger or smaller reservoirs, portable or not, with various speed settings or operating modes (with stronger air or water jets). The device that uses less water and more air pressure is called airfloss.

The most effective type of oral irrigator is the portable one, because this device should always accompany you, wherever you go, just like your toothbrush. We recommend modes with a strong water jet, which each patient can adjust according to their own sensitivity and needs.

How do we use a mouthwash?

Every time we use a toothbrush, we also use a mouthwash. To irrigate properly, if you have a portable device, fill the reservoir four times to effectively wash each dental quadrant (divide each arch, maxillary and mandibular, into two equal halves and you will get four quadrants).

It is important to do this at least once a day, in the evening, but ideally it should be used twice, in the morning and in the evening. If we only use it occasionally, we will not achieve favorable results.

When using it, we keep our head slightly bent over the sink so that the water drains there and does not splash around uncontrollably.

A single oral irrigator can be used by the whole family, as it comes with several interchangeable tips. Some of these are simple, in the form of thin plastic tubes tapered at one end, while others are equipped with fine bristles, etc. We choose the tip that we feel cleans us best.

Who is recommended to use a mouth irrigator?

• all individuals who wish to practice proper and complete dental hygiene
• patients suffering from gum problems (gingivitis and periodontitis)
• Patients who have a history of periodontal disease, have been treated, and now need an oral irrigator to maintain the beneficial results of treatment in the long term.
• orthodontic appliance wearers
• patients with dental implants
• patients with prosthetic work (dental crowns, bridges, veneers).

What are the benefits of irrigating with a mouthwash?

• clean teeth, proper and complete dental hygiene
• reduces tartar buildup on teeth
• properly sanitize dental work
• prevents cavities by removing bacterial plaque
• role in preventing periodontitis and gingivitis
• prevents complications and infections in implants (peri-implantitis, etc.).

What does proper dental hygiene mean?

It is necessary to brush your teeth after every meal, or at least twice a day, in the morning and in the evening. However, many people skip brushing their teeth in the evening because they are tired, unaware that this is the most important brushing of the day. Overnight, food debris ferments and feeds the bacteria that cause various dental problems, from cavities to gingivitis and periodontitis. In addition, plaque older than 12 hours solidifies on the surfaces of the teeth and forms tartar, which can no longer be removed from the teeth with a toothbrush, but only through professional scaling.

No toothbrush, no matter how sophisticated, can clean the spaces between your teeth. This is the area where the most bacterial plaque and food debris accumulate, promoting the development of tartar, cavities, and gum inflammation. Therefore, it is essential to use a mouth irrigator that cleans these spaces, in addition to a toothbrush (not instead of it!).

Until recently, classic dental floss was used. Unfortunately, almost no one uses it regularly or correctly. It is cumbersome and difficult to use, patients are unable to insert it into every interdental space, and sometimes it catches on fillings, dental work, etc. Usually, patients only use it where they feel they have a very retentive space for food and it bothers them if they don't clean it. Otherwise, however, the other interdental areas remain untouched. And here we are happy to have the option of using a oral irrigator.

It is recommended that doctors advise the use of a mouth irrigator, as it helps control bacterial plaque deposits, which are the cause of most dental problems, from cavities to gingivitis and periodontitis. However, we must not forget about regular professional dental cleanings (scaling, professional brushing, and airflow) that should be performed every 6 months!