Hello Effortless Oral Hygiene: These Dentist-Approved Wet Flossers Offer an Easy Way to Clean (2024)

Hello Effortless Oral Hygiene: These Dentist-Approved Wet Flossers Offer an Easy Way to Clean (1)

Your toothbrush can’t always get between teeth and into periodontal pockets to remove debris, and that’s where flossing comes in. Wet flossers, also known as "water flossers" or "oral irrigators," utilize a pressurized water stream to target hard-to-reach areas and remove food and plaque. Heather Kunen, DDS, MS, New York City-based orthodontist and co-founder of Beam Street, says that water flossing can be a helpful step in your home dental routine (but it shouldn't replace conventional flossing).

At the Verywell Testing Lab in New York City, we tested 26 wet flossers, ranging in price. We evaluated each wet flosser and assigned an overall score based on effectiveness, ease of use, settings, and overall value. An orthodontist from our Medical Expert Board reviewed the contents of this article to ensure its accuracy, conventional versus wet flossing, and safe practices.

What Healthcare Providers Want You to Know

  • Wet Floss vs String Floss: Traditional string floss or dental tape may be some dentists' preferred choice, but water flossers are an adjunct to brushing and traditional manual flossing. Lisa Creaven, DDS, Galway-based dentist and co-founder of Spotlight Oral Care, tells us that it pushes the food and debris with a gentle yet powerful force that gets the gunk off the teeth and away from the area. Conventional and water flossing are suitable for cleaning thoroughly, but traditional flossing should be a part of your dental hygiene routine.
  • Safety Concerns: Regarding safety, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, you don't want to leave water sitting in the reservoir. A water flosser that isn't well maintained can introduce more bacteria into your mouth, so Creaven recommends emptying it after each use and cleaning it often. You'll also want to pay special attention to excessive pressure.
  • Frequency of Use: The order of the steps in your oral care routine matters. Start with a water flosser and follow it up with a toothbrush. Creaven says water flossers should be used once a day before brushing so you don't wash away active ingredients in toothpaste that your teeth benefit from.

Our Top Picks

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Best Electric Toothbrush and Water Flosser Combo:

Waterpik Sonic Fusion Toothbrush & Flosser Combo at Amazon ($200)

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In This Article

  • What Healthcare Providers Want You to Know

  • Our Picks

  • How We Tested

  • What to Look For

  • Our Experts

  • Why Trust Verywell Health

Hello Effortless Oral Hygiene: These Dentist-Approved Wet Flossers Offer an Easy Way to Clean (2)

Our Ratings

  • Effectiveness

    5/5

  • Ease of Use

    5/5

  • Settings

    5/5

  • Overall Value

    5/5

Pros

  • Has a large water tank

  • Comes with seven flossing tips and 10 pressure settings

  • Three-year manufacturer’s warranty

Cons

  • The cord connecting the base and flosser wand is short

  • Must be plugged into a wall outlet

Why We Recommend It

With 10 pressure settings and seven interchangeable flossing tips, the Waterpik Aquarius provides a customizable cleaning experience, though it’ll take a bit of practice—and both hands—to master its operation. Adjusting the pressure settings, which are controlled by a dial at the base of the machine, is a bit awkward at first, but you get used to it. In addition to gooey cheese, it’s effective at removing plaque and improving circulation in the gums.

The tank holds 22 ounces of water, which the brand promises is enough for 90 seconds of flossing activity, but we were pleased to find that the reservoir was still half full after completing two full cycles. At the end of our testing, we crowned the Aquarius Best Overall because it’s effective and easy to use, and it doesn’t take up much counter space.

Keep in Mind

The cord that connects the flosser wand to the base is short, so you’ll want to position it close to your sink basin to avoid drips and splashback.

Key Specs

Charge Type: Electric charge| Reservoir Capacity: 22 oz | Number of Pressure Settings: 10

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Our Ratings

  • Effectiveness

    4.5/5

  • Ease of Use

    5/5

  • Overall Value

    5/5

Pros

  • Affordable

  • Completely cordless

  • Five pressure settings

Cons

  • Small water reservoir

  • Higher pressure modes may be too intense

Why We Recommend It

If you’ve never tried a water flosser and aren’t sure it’s worth the investment, we recommend the H2ofloss Portable Oral Irrigator. It offers five different nozzles (including a toothbrush head), a tongue cleaner attachment, and five settings. The best part? It’s compact and completely cordless, making it the perfect travel flosser. The design is very clean and practical, and there aren’t any excessive pieces or extensions.

The H2ofloss has a 360-degree rotating head to help you target those hard-to-reach corners of your mouth, and it has a 300-milliliter reservoir that holds just enough water for a full cycle.

Keep in Mind

Users with sensitive teeth or gums may find the higher pressure settings a little too intense. We noted that the higher settings were harder to control, and water got everywhere when we tried to use them.

Key Specs

Charge Type: Battery powered| Reservoir Capacity: 300 mL| Number of Pressure Settings: 5

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Our Ratings

  • Effectiveness

    5/5

  • Ease of Use

    5/5

  • Overall Value

    5/5

Pros

  • Cordless and fully waterproof

  • Comes with a travel case and five jet tips

Cons

  • Water reservoir only lasts about 45 seconds

  • Has just three basic pressure settings

Why We Recommend It

If you’re a die-hard cord cutter, opt for the Aquasonic Aqua Flosser. It earned high marks for its lightweight design, which is dentist-recommended for kids and teens. It only has three settings, but we particularly enjoyed the pulse mode, which felt pleasant and did a great job removing food from between our teeth. Plus, it’s easy to toggle between the settings with one hand.

Included in the box are a travel case and five jet tips, and the waterproof body protects the rechargeable lithium-ion battery so you can floss in the shower.

Keep in Mind

The reservoir only holds 150 milliliters of water, which provided 45 seconds of flossing during our tests, so it may not be ideal if you like to take your time. Still, it delivered a thorough cleaning.

Key Specs

Charge Type: Battery powered| Reservoir Capacity: 150 mL| Number of Pressure Settings: 3

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Hello Effortless Oral Hygiene: These Dentist-Approved Wet Flossers Offer an Easy Way to Clean (10)

Our Ratings

  • Effectiveness

    5/5

  • Ease of Use

    4.5/5

  • Overall Value

    5/5

Pros

  • Large water tank

  • 10 brushing intensities

  • Two flossing modes

Cons

  • Expensive

Why We Recommend It

If you have braces, flossing with standard string floss or dental tape can be tricky and time-consuming. Equipped with two flossing modes and ten intensity settings, the Phillips Sonicare Power Flosser 5000 comes with a quad stream tip that covers a larger surface area for a deep clean. The instructions were clear and even illustrated how to use the device if you have braces.

The setup process was easy, so we could start cleaning her teeth within minutes of unboxing. The reservoir was one of our favorite features—the lid fits snugly, and the tank holds 18.6 ounces of water, enough for a couple of cleaning sessions.

Keep in Mind

The countertop model is one of our more expensive picks, but it’s compact, easy to use, and effective, so we can declare it well worth the price.

Key Specs

Charge Type: Electric charge| Reservoir Capacity: 18.6 oz | Number of Pressure Settings: 10

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Hello Effortless Oral Hygiene: These Dentist-Approved Wet Flossers Offer an Easy Way to Clean (12)

Our Ratings

  • Effectiveness

    5/5

  • Ease of Use

    4/5

  • Overall Value

    5/5

Pros

  • Large water reservoir

  • Cordless and portable

  • Has a digital display

Cons

  • The automatic “soft start” can be confusing

Why We Recommend It

If your least favorite part of preparing for a trip is figuring out how to pack all your toiletries, try the cordless, compact MySmile Oral Irrigator X, which delivers a thorough flossing and a just-brushed feeling. It’s cordless and holds a charge for up to 20 days, with a 350-milliliter reservoir that provides 50-150 PSI of water pressure, depending on the setting. It felt as if we were brushing our teeth and flossing simultaneously, we noted.

The flosser was easy to use, and the instruction manual includes easy-to-follow pictures. The five different settings are strong, normal, soft, pulse, and child mode, and there are eight interchangeable tips, enough to suit the preferences of the whole family.

Keep in Mind

A digital display shows the modes, temperature, and battery level, which means a higher price tag.

Key Specs

Charge Type: Battery powered| Reservoir Capacity: 350 mL| Number of Pressure Settings: 5

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Hello Effortless Oral Hygiene: These Dentist-Approved Wet Flossers Offer an Easy Way to Clean (14)

Our Ratings

  • Effectiveness

    5/5

  • Ease of Use

    5/5

  • Settings

    3/5

  • Overall Value

    4/5

Pros

  • Cordless

  • Comes with travel case and charger

  • Easy to use

Cons

  • Only has three pressure settings

Why We Recommend It

If you like the Waterpik brand but want to go cordless, look no further than the WP-560. We loved its ease of use and effectiveness at cleaning gummy fruit debris from their teeth in under a minute. The ample 7-ounce reservoir is easy to fill and lasts for a full minute.

We were a little disappointed that there are only three basic modes. While it falls a little short on settings, it does come with some useful accessories, including two classic jet tips, a travel bag, a plug, and a convenient magnetic charger.

Keep in Mind

There are only two buttons—one to turn it on and off, and the other to move between pressure settings—so it’s a good basic flosser.

Key Specs

Charge Type: Battery powered| Reservoir Capacity: 7 oz | Number of Pressure Settings: 3

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Best Budget Waterpik

Waterpik Cordless Express

Hello Effortless Oral Hygiene: These Dentist-Approved Wet Flossers Offer an Easy Way to Clean (19)

Our Ratings

  • Effectiveness

    4/5

  • Ease of Use

    5/5

  • Overall Value

    4/5

Pros

  • Affordable

  • Cordless

  • Space-saving and travel-friendly

Cons

  • Uses AA batteries

  • Water reservoir needs to be refilled often

Why We Recommend It

The third Waterpik option on our list is the Cordless Express Water Flosser, our favorite budget-friendly option from the brand. It’s a basic model with just two pressure settings but was impressively effective at removing even tiny bits of debris from our teeth. The water pulls from a 5-ounce water reservoir, which lasts just shy of a minute and needs to be refilled often, sometimes mid-floss.

Keep in Mind

The battery-operated model left our mouth feeling clean, but we felt as though there was still some residue remaining after use. Still, the two included tips were easy to swap out, and it’s a great choice if your bathroom is short on countertop space.

Key Specs

Charge Type: Battery powered | Reservoir Capacity: 5 oz| Number of Pressure Settings: 2

Hello Effortless Oral Hygiene: These Dentist-Approved Wet Flossers Offer an Easy Way to Clean (20)

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Pros

  • Functions as a flosser and toothbrush

  • Large water reservoir

  • Comes with a protective hard travel case

Cons

  • It’s corded and quite large

Why We Recommend It

The Waterpik Sonic-Fusion 2.0 does double-duty as a flosser and an electric toothbrush to clean your whole mouth. With ten pressure settings, two flossing brush heads, and a 16-ounce water reservoir, it cleans teeth while removing plaque and gunk from even the tiniest crevices. We love the way the buttons are stacked so that you can change the pressure easily. There is no guessing which button will change the pressure and speed.

The Sonic-Fusion also has a two-minute brushing timer and a 30-second pacer to alert you when it’s time to switch to a different section of your mouth.

Keep in Mind

It’s the most expensive model on our list, but it's a good investment if you’re looking for an all-in-one dental-cleaning device.

Charge Type: Electric charge| Reservoir Capacity: 16 oz | Number of Pressure Settings: 10

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How We Tested the Wet Flossers

The Verywell Health team tested 26 wet flossers at the Verywell Testing Lab in New York City. After unboxing and setting up the flossers, testers used their assigned model to floss for at least one minute. We evaluated each wet flosser based on the following attributes:

  • Effectiveness: We paid close attention to how clean our teeth felt, how effective the flosser was at removing food debris, and whether it could get into hard-to-reach areas.
  • Ease of use: We analyzed how easy it was to use and operate the water flossers. We also noted how they felt in our hands as well.
  • Settings: We paid attention to the device's many settings and how beneficial they were during use.
  • Overall value: We compared the device's overall performance to its price point to determine whether it was worth the price.

We're Still Testing Water Flossers

We are conducting ongoing tests for wet flossers to see how they hold up to daily use. We’ll update our recommendations with our feedback, especially regarding battery life (which we couldn’t test in The Lab).

What to Look for in a Wet Flosser

  • Reservoir capacity: Wet flossers have a built-in water reservoir or are attached to a base with a water reservoir. Flossers with bases can hold between 18 and 22 ounces of water.On the other hand, the larger the reservoir, the clunkier the flosser. If you plan on taking your device on the go, look for a model with a smaller, more portable reservoir. Flossers with built-in water reservoirs should last for an entire cleaning session but will need refilling more often.
  • Battery life: Water flossers are available in corded, cordless, and battery-operated models. Many options on our list have powerful rechargeable batteries that keep the flosser powered for days or weeks. If you plan to travel, look for a model with a longer battery life that won't slow you down when you're on the go.
  • Ease of use: Todd Bertman, DMD, founder of Advanced Dental Arts in New York City, advises choosing a water flosser with an angled tip or a flexible, swiveling head. These features help target your mouth's nooks and crannies while spraying away large debris and food particles.He adds that easy-to-grip models are great for people with dexterity issues (like arthritis).
  • Intensity: Just because a flosser has several settings doesn't mean you'll use them all. Consider whether you have issues like gum sensitivity or deep gum pockets. According to Bertman, the pressure of a water flosser should be high enough to be effective but not so high that it causes pain, discomfort, or bleeding. (However, he notes that water flossers are generally safe, and any damage caused by intense pressure will likely heal rather than be permanent.)
  • Accessories: Most water flossers will come fully equipped, but some have optional tips and specially designed attachments for dental work, braces, and sensitive teeth/gums. Depending on your concerns, dentists also recommend switching up the tip or head.

Our Experts

We also spoke with these dentists for their expert opinions on factors to consider when choosing the right wet flosser:

  • Heather Kunen, DDS, MS, New York City-based orthodontist
  • Todd Bertman, DMD, founder of Advanced Dental Arts in New York City
  • Lisa Creaven, DDS, Galway-based dentist and co-founder of Spotlight Oral Care

Why Trust Verywell Health

Kayla Hui is a seasoned public health practitioner and health journalist who received her master’s degree in public health in 2020. She has interviewed dozens of experts, reviewed numerous research studies, and tested a plethora of products to deliver well-researched product reviews and roundups. Her goal is to help readers make more informed decisions about their health and well-being.

Hello Effortless Oral Hygiene: These Dentist-Approved Wet Flossers Offer an Easy Way to Clean (2024)

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