Are you crazy? Buy a good one and put it in a drawer! Are you sure you're not putting vainness in front of being toothless!

I would be rinsing with H.Peroxide or anything else I could get if my dentist told me I had early signs of gum disease!

You won't be vain long....as you'll be in a specialist's office getting your gums scraped....spending thousands of dollars!

Gum disease is nothing to flirt with! Prevention is the key, so try to nip it in the bud while you have the chance!

Go visit a gum specialist....watch what he or she does everyday...you won't be vain after a visit...
Good Luck

I don't have the rechargeable one, but WaterPik is based here in my town and the Vice Pres. is a very good friend of mine. He says it works just as good as the larger one. If I were you I would also use a Sonicare toothbrush if you aren't already using one. This will make a HUGE difference in your gums as well. WaterPik also makes their own version of this, but most dentists recommend the Sonicare version (my friend, of course, says WaterPik's is just as good).

I did buy the small rechargeable one and it is working real well! I do have a Sonicare toothbrush that I am using all the time now and feel like I am helping the problem!

Your friend is so right!

Thanks for your email! Much appreciated!
Shirley

I hadn't been to the dentist in years, due to a lot of reasons after college, and when I went this summer he found that although I was cleaning well on the surface, there was bacterial/plaque buildup underneath my gums on a few of my teeth that was leading to bone loss. He told me to get a water pik and a battery-powered circulating toothbrush. I got them that very night, and have used them every single day since, and starting from that first night I have not had a single drop of red and my gums are no longer sensitive to flossing. It feels wonderful. I go back in November to see how it's helping things under the surface...

At 59 I really have to take care of my teeth. I have one and put the mouthwash without alcohol in with water (Crest) I was using Listerine, like the hygenist told me to, now she says no, it's not good for you. OK, so we'll see what she says next time. Lynn

My dentist said that whe using the water pik not to aim down at your gums since that only forces anything deeper but to hold the thing so it goes across yourr teeth.

LOL over the first reply............ by "vanity", she probably meant a vanity table, like this one. LOL!

When we were kids my brother and I wore braces and the dentist recommended a Water Pik as an extra means of cleaning our teeth. I'll never forget thinking I brushed long enough and then watching all the food particles come out while using the Water Pik!

Recently, I heard something like what Minnie said, that they can actually push particles down into the gums. But, can't floss do the same thing?

I've been wanting to get one of those Sonicare toothbrushes and now after reading more positive comments I think I will. I have a new cavity almost every time I go to the dentist even though I brush morning and night for 4-5 minutes and floss most days of the week.

Jen

We gave my MIL a Sonicare a few years ago for Christmas. She used it for about 6 weeks and then went to her dentist for a regular check up (she's been using the same dentist for about 20 years). She didn't tell him she had switched to a Sonicare and he told her that it was the best her gums had ever looked and asked if she was doing anything different. After that she bought Sonicares for all of her other children and grandchildren.

I use both a Sonicare toothbrush and a Water Pik. That Sonicare toothbrush is worth its weight in gold. I LOVE mine. My hygienist told me to also brush my gums with the Sonicare to get good blood circulation to my gums.

Just a thought for those who hate to spend so much money for a toothbrush. I had been looking on eBay for a new Sonicare for my daughter. When I mentioned it to my hygienist, she told me she could get me one through my dentist's office. I only paid $40 for my daughter's toothbrush compared to around $100 for mine. So, that is one idea for those of you wanting a Sonicare toothbrush but hating to spend the money. EBay is another option for saving money. But even at full price, they are worth every cent in protecting your teeth and gums. I also bought my daughter the hand held smaller Water Pik but I'm not sure how they compare with the full sized model I have.

I agree about the Sonicare toothbrush. When I floss these days I find there is much less to do than before. We used the rotating electric before this; Sonicare is worth every penny you find yourself forking over. Another good thing: the brush lasts longer than the rotating ones. Sonicare and Water Pic sound like an unbeatable combo if you learn to use them correctly. Good for you for taking care of this early!

If you like spending money, by all means get the rechargable and replace it every year or so when the battery wears out. If not, get the regular model. I have used a Waterpic for 35 years and swear by them. When they were out of favor in this country, I sent overseas for one. It's that valuable to me. I just stick it under my sink cabinet in this house, but in my last one, I stored it in my linen closet on the closest shelf.

Several years ago a periodontist told me tht I had to have gum surgery. I researched the procedure and after much thought decided to postpone the operation and try both the Sonicare and the Waterpic. Months later when I went back I no longer needed the surgery and I saved myself big bucks. No more bleeding gums. I wouldn't be without either of them ever again.
Robin

I asked a hygienist about the Water Pik and she said it's fine but it doesn't replace flossing. Since I began flossing religiously every day, my gums don't bleed anymore. I still haven't bought the Sonicare yet but my new dentist's hygienist highly recommends it.

Jen

In six months my gums were so well-healed that my dentist could not believe it was the same mouth. My Water Pik started conking out after six months, until I threw it onto the floor in frustration and it began to run like new again LOL. If I go to buy a new one I'll probably get a different kind, because the handheld one just isn't made to last.