Water flossers are an increasingly popular oral hygiene adjunct for many patients, enabling improved access to interdental and subgingival spaces. Waterpik™ is the only water flosser brand to be approved by the Oral Health Foundation, and each solution is designed with the insights of more than 60 years of innovation, and 80+ research studies.
The Standards for the Dental Team notes that each recommendation made by a clinician needs to be in the patient’s best interests, with oral health advice that is relevant to their situation.[i] For this, dental teams need to be informed on the efficacy of the items they recommend.
This is never more prevalent than in the era of online shopping, where competing items are available at a fingertip – but does this make it more difficult to be able to tell the difference between those that are effective, or even simply safe to use?
Why claims matter
There are a multitude of oral hygiene solutions available to patients today, with many available from traditional shops, online retailers, and even social media apps. In 2024, the London Trading Standards body issued a warning for electrical items sold on online platforms, with concerns that the safety of some items ended up being “a gamble for consumers” – finding products that have been tested and approved for sale in the UK is sometimes difficult in this landscape.[ii]
If some companies do present electronically unsafe items, it’s also possible that some oral health solutions will not have the proper clinical backing for the claims made.
Waterpik™ is a trusted brand with accessible clinical research, which continues to inform the design and innovation of each solution. Achieving Oral Health Foundation approval means that patients and practitioners can have confidence in the solutions they choose. With verification by an independent panel of dental experts, it ensures that claims are fair, accurate and supported by reliable evidence.
The water flossers from Waterpik™ are also held to the rigorous standards for electronic products produced in the UK, so your patients know it is a safe addition to their routines.
With this talk about clinical research and associated claims, it’s important to understand what exactly a Waterpik™ water flosser can do.
Put it into practice
The Waterpik™ Cordless Advanced is a leading solution to add to everyday oral hygiene routines, helping to ensure patients can access subgingival and interdental spaces with comfort.
The solution is proven to remove up to 99.9% of plaque from treated areas, in as little as three seconds.[iii] This ensures the Cordless Advanced is an effective combatant against sources of malodour, gingival disease, tooth decay, and more. Additional benefits such as a 360º rotating tip help patients access the entire dentition, so each tooth has the attention it deserves.
Water flossing with a Waterpik™ solution can also aid periodontal health, with the Cordless Advanced being up to 2x as effective as string floss for removing bacterial plaque and improving gingival health.[iv] Featuring 3 pressure settings, patients can tailor the intensity to suit their comfort level and clinical needs. The pulse of water can also help to massage the gingival tissue, for extra benefits.
Patients can choose between a range of tips that are tailored to their personal needs, whether they are undergoing orthodontic care, have dental implants, or need deeper access to periodontal pockets. Waterpik™ water flosser tips work exclusively with the Waterpik™ range, and can be recommended by clinicians as extra sources of support for everyday care.
Earning your trust
Trusting the solutions you recommend is key. With the new Waterpik™ Advocacy Programme, professionals can access a free CPD module and professional educational material, which provide further information on the clinical benefits of water flossers.
Also included is an exclusive discount code for patients, meaning clinicians can recommend with confidence, and everyone can have improved access to oral hygiene solutions that make a difference.
You can learn more about Waterpik™ solutions, and join the Advocacy Programme, when you contact the team today. Remember to recommend by name.
For more information on WaterpikTM water flosser products visit www.waterpik.co.uk. WaterpikTM products are available from Amazon, Costco UK, Argos, Boots and Tesco online and in stores across the UK and Ireland.
[i] General Dental Council, (2019). Standards for the Dental Team. (Online) Available at: https://www.gdc-uk.org/standards-guidance/standards-and-guidance/standards-for-the-dental-team [Accessed February 2026]
[ii] Chartered Trading Standards Institute, (2024). Trading Standards issue stark warning to consumers about product safety. (Online) Available at: https://www.tradingstandards.uk/news-policy-campaigns/news-room/2024/trading-standards-issue-stark-warning-to-consumers-about-product-safety/ [Accessed February 2026]
[iii] Gorur, A., Lyle, D. M., Schaudinn, C., & Costerton, J. W. (2009). Biofilm removal with a dental water jet. Compendium of continuing education in dentistry (Jamesburg, NJ: 1995), 30, 1-6.
[iv] Mancinelli‐Lyle, D., Qaqish, J. G., Goyal, C. R., & Schuller, R. (2023). Efficacy of water flossing on clinical parameters of inflammation and plaque: a 4‐week randomized controlled trial. International Journal of Dental Hygiene, 21(4), 659-668.
