A waterpik is a great tool for cleaning between teeth and around gums, especially for people with braces, implants, or difficulty flossing. However, it does not fully replace flossing. Floss physically scrapes plaque off the tooth surface, while a waterpik rinses it away. Using both together gives the best results.

Yes—you really do. A toothbrush can only clean the front and back surfaces of the teeth, which is about 50–60% of the plaque in your mouth. The remaining plaque hides between the teeth, and floss is the only way to reach it. If we skip flossing, we’re leaving behind almost half of the bacteria every day. A common misconception is... read more »