Recently, within the last seven days actually, I purchased a HydroFloss. A what? Well, it is sort of like a high powered waterpik that uses magnetized minerals that naturally occur in tap water.

Why? For starters, I’m tired of my dentist complaining about my gingivitis which has now become mild to moderate periodontal disease. Will a Hydro Floss change that? I honestly don’t know, yet. Based on what I’ve read about them, it may be possible. I’m a skeptic by nature though, but I’m also curious enough to try out different things. Sometimes that strategy works for me and sometimes it doesn’t.

I’ve had a lot of problems with dentists over the years. I don’t believe that all dentists are completely honest. In fact, I had a dentist tell me that I had a ‘trouble spot’ that she wanted to drill into. I went to another dentist who didn’t appear to detect any problem or any ‘trouble spot’ at all. That was after waiting six months. If there was a problem that was going to get worse, it certainly didn’t do so.

Another time, a dentist cheerfully suggested a root canal for a pain I was having in a tooth. I declined. In less than two weeks, that pain went away and never came back, without a root canal being done. That was about 14 years ago. I’ve heard stories from people who went to a dentist to be told that they had several cavities. Upon visiting a different dentist they were told they had none!

I find this trend disturbing. I go to a dentist to maintain my teeth and gums and to make sure that I keep the teeth with minimal damage to the gums. So when unnecessary procedures are recommended, I find it a little annoying. I should be able to trust my dentist but instead, I view her much like I view a car dealership when taking my car in for service. Watch the wallet or get taken. I shouldn’t have to feel that way about my dentist. But I do.

One of the best sales presentations I have ever seen was that of a dental hygienist. She wanted to sell me a ‘root scaling and planing’. During this procedure they anesthetize your gums and use metal instruments to scrape and scale along the root to remove plaque under the gumline.

I bet it hurts a lot when the anesthesia wears off. I was told this was the ‘only’ way to get rid of plaque under the gums. Since I declined the procedure, they wanted me to sign a waiver in case I lost my teeth as a result of not undergoing their prescribed treatment. I viewed this as another scare tactic. It also motivated me to find another solution.

Like I said before, I have only had my Hydro Floss for a week, but I like the results I’m seeing so far. When finished using it, I feel like my gums have just had a good massage and it only takes a few minutes to go over my entire gumline.

I asked my dentist what she thought about the Hydro Floss. She wasn’t convinced that it was any better than a waterpik. I decided to try it. If my dentist doesn’t like it, it might actually be good for me.

I’m not interested in losing my teeth due to gum disease. I have always kept good care of my teeth. It seems that brushing and flossing are just not enough for most people to avoid periodontal disease or gingivitis. Brushing too hard can erode the gumline, precisely what I wish to avoid. I reason that if I followed the same old advice, I would get the same results.

As for the Hydro Floss, I believe I’m seeing a difference already, but I can’t be sure. There are no double blind studies being conducted on my body. My results are subjective. But I think I’ll know for sure in about a month. For now, I’m impressed.

If you have any questions about what your dentists finds or suggests, you may want to get a second opinion. That doesn’t hurt!

Update: February 2008: Using the Hydro Floss created amazing results that left my dentist and hygienist in disbelief. The dentist said, “whatever you are doing, keep it up”. My gums do not bleed during regular dental cleanings any longer. They also do not bleed, even a tiny bit, during brushing and flossing.

This article is for information purposes only. It is not meant to offer advice, diagnosis, prevention or treatment of any health condition. Please see your dental or health care professional for diagnosis and treatment.

David Snape is the author of What You Should Know about Gum Disease – an important book considering that the majority of adults suffer from some form of gum disease. David also answers questions on any health, fitness or wellness topic at his blog: http://tobeinformed.com – David believes in oral irrigation to help fight against gum disease and that the premiere oral irrigation device on the market is the Hydro Floss Oral Irrigator.

Disclaimer: This article is for information purposes. It does not intend to provide advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you have or think you have an oral health problem, visit a periodontist for advice, diagnosis and treatment. The USFDA has not evaluated any statements about products in this article.

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