Can I Put Mouthwash In My Waterpik? [Cleaning and Maintaining Tips]

Water flossing should be in your new dental care routine. It is a vital step to keeping your mouth bacteria-free. But to make the process even more effective, can you add mouthwash to your Waterpik?

Mouthwash is designed to get rid of plaques and food gunk in hidden areas of the mouth. It serves similar functions as your Waterpik. So, can they go hand in hand together?

Can I Put Mouthwash In My Waterpik?

Yes.

According to the official Waterpik user menu, putting mouthwash in your Waterpik is not only acceptable but enhances its performance. Typically, water flossers are filled with warm water to minimize irritation to the gum. But combining water with other oral hygiene products is a great way to save time and get better results.

You can use standard mouthwash and antiseptic mouthwash. They effectively remove the gunk that gives you bad breath and prevent bacteria growth. But since Waterpik is not designed to hold chemical agents, you have to watch out for the volume.

How To Use My Waterpik With Mouthwash

The mouthwash-to-water ratio should never exceed 1:1. An excessive amount of mouthwash may damage the device and cause irritation to your gum due to the high force. It will not deliver the same result.

1. Pour some lukewarm water into your Waterpik first before adding mouthwash.
2. Slowly fill the reservoir with mouthwash until you reach the 1:1 ratio.
3. Start the device as you normally would.

Every other step stays the same.

Waterpik encourages users to put mouthwash in it as it is a quick fix to bad breath. It also recommends therapeutic mouth rinse prescribed by dentists. It fights against gum diseases and reduces the chances of inflammation and cavity.

What Should I Not Put In My Waterpik?

While it may be tempting to put just anything in your Waterpik to make it fun, you should never do so, as it will damage the unit. Waterpik is very sensitive to the agent you put in. Apart from water and the three main substances mentioned above, you should not attempt to pour anything else into your device unless your dentist tells you otherwise.

Waterpik officially warns users about putting pure essential oils, iodine, and saline solution into their devices. These substances will cause irreversible damage to the unit. In general, your Waterpik is not meant to hold other substances not instructed in the menu. Attempting to test the limit will only land you in regret.

About Waterpik

Waterpik is a brand of oral irrigator that brings up your oral health. It removes food particles left on the user’s gum and cracks between teeth to maintain satisfactory oral hygiene. Professional dentists recommend Waterpik as an addition to people’s dental care routine.

Water flossing is a non-invasive way to clear out gunk stuck in your mouth that you may have missed with brushing and traditional flossing. Waterpik does not replace the need to brush and floss regularly, but it enhances the results.

Users can use Waterpik any time of the day to get rid of all leftovers in their mouths. Overbrushing your teeth may lead to bleeding and gum diseases and water flossing is an effective way to keep your mouth clean before your next teeth-brushing session.

How Does Waterpik Work?

Waterpik removes plaques by shooting water in targeted areas to clean out bacteria and food particles. You can combine it with your daily dental routine. Fill your Waterpik with warm water and hold it straight up against your gum area.

Turn it on and move it gently to clean every space between your teeth. Go back and forth as you would when brushing your teeth. This motion covers the most capacity and removes the most bacteria from your mouth.

Dentists believe Waterpik is an easy way to temporarily give the lengthy traditional flossing a break but the effectiveness is still debatable. Some studies have shown water flossing to remove just as much gunk, while others are not so sure.

Even on the Waterpik official site, you will see a disclaimer that this product should never replace brushing and traditional flossing. However, it is a great addition to give you a confident smile.

How To Clean Your Waterpik?

Just like your toothbrush, Waterpik doesn’t last forever without proper care. Thankfully, it can last a solid few years if you dedicate some time to do a thorough cleansing once every few months. It is recommended to clean your Waterpik at least once every month.

Use a non-abrasive cleanser to clean the outer shell. The outer shell is exposed to bacteria in your mouth. Thus, keeping it clean is vital so it doesn’t re-infect you. Take out the water reservoir and clean it separately. You can throw it in the dishwasher as it is durable.

You will also need to clean all the internal parts with warm mild cleansing products. Vinegar does a great job of removing plaque and stains. Add a few spoons and give it a proper rinse.

Eject the handle so you can clean it separately from the flossing tip. Put both in vinegar water. Let them rest for a few minutes so they are completely soaked. Rinse all parts under running water until they no longer smell of vinegar or chemical cleansers.

Use warm water in all cleansing steps but not hot water. It cleans out gunk more effectively without destroying the sensitive parts. Keeping your Waterpik clean is an easy task that you should be reminded to do once in a while.

Cleaning your Waterpik will restore it to maximum capacity again. Having stains and dirt on the device will lower its effectiveness. And you may also be re-injected with bacteria left on the device.

How To Maintain Good Oral Hygiene?

Brushing your teeth two times a day should go without saying. That said, you should not overdo it as it will strip away your mouth’s natural saliva secretion and protection, leading to irritated gum. Also, control your strength when you brush your teeth. It should be done gently. Brushing your teeth with force will damage the surface of your teeth rather than remove the bacteria.

Other than focusing on the cleaning part, you should also watch your food intake. Food and drinks with lots of food coloring can stain your teeth over the years, making them difficult to clean.

Food with extreme flavoring, like extra spicy or sweet, can also lead to gum infections. The infected area can further attract attacks from other viruses. Thus, maintaining a healthy diet is essential to stay on top of the game.

Be sure to book your yearly dental appointment to professionally clean your teeth. Your dentist will get rid of deep stains and plaques lurking in dark corners. Seeing your dentist yearly is important to keeping cavities away. The early stages of cavities may not be noticeable without professional help. A dentist can identify potential issues and how to fix them.

Summary

Adding mouthwash to your Waterpik is a great idea. It removes stubborn plaques and kills bacteria, giving you a minty breath for the whole day. Waterpik should be an irreplaceable part of your oral hygiene routine. Combine it with regular brushing and traditional flossing so you will always have a charming smile with shining teeth to show.