Waterpik™ Water Flosser: Significantly More Effective than Interdental Brush for Improving Gingival Health
Slot DE, Lyle DM, Van der Sluijs E, Hennequin-Hoenderdos N, Van der Weijden F.
J Dent Res 2018; 97(Special Iss. B): Abstract #0622 (www.iadr.org)
Conducted at the Academic Center for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), Netherlands.
Objective
To compare the effectiveness of a Waterpik™ Water Flosser (WF) and an interdental brush (IDB) on bleeding indices and gingival abrasion.
Methodology
Seventy-eight subjects completed this 4-week randomized controlled trial. Subjects were assigned to one of two groups: Waterpik Water Flosser (WF) plus a manual toothbrush, or interdental brush (IDB) plus a manual toothbrush.
Gingival inflammation was evaluated by measuring Bleeding on Pocket Probing (BOPP) and Bleeding on Marginal Probing (BOMP). Data were collected from contralateral quadrants.
The Gingival Abrasion Score (GAS) was used to compare the incidence of abrasion between groups.
Results
Both groups showed significant reductions in BOPP and BOMP from baseline to four weeks, for all and interdental sites.
The WF group was significantly more effective than the IDB group for reducing BOPP at all sites (p = 0.030) and BOMP at all and interdental sites (p = 0.003, p = 0.019 respectively).
There were no differences in gingival abrasion scores between groups.
Conclusion
The Waterpik Water Flosser was significantly more effective than the interdental brush for improving gingival health in this clinical study.