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Water flossers for sensitive gums
Updated
If your gums are sensitive, pick a flosser with many small pressure steps and start on the lowest one. The ADA says cleaning between your teeth should not cause pain, and gums that bleed easily are a warning sign of gum disease. So see your dentist first if it hurts or bleeds.
What the ADA says
- The ADA's flossing page says cleaning between your teeth shouldn't cause pain, and to talk with your dentist if it still hurts.
- Its gum disease page lists gums that bleed easily and red, swollen or tender gums among the warning signs.
- Its sensitive teeth page lists gum disease and receding gums among possible causes of sensitivity.
A water flosser will not fix any of those. It is a way to clean between your teeth. If your gums are sore, a dentist should find out why before you pick a tool.
More steps make a gentle start easier
- Waterpik Aquarius10 settings
- Philips 30003 settings
- Cordless Advanced3 settings
- COSLUS C203 settings
- Cordless Pulse2 settings
More steps do not mean more power. They mean smaller jumps between settings, so you can find a level that feels comfortable. The COSLUS listing itself says to start on Soft so your gums can adapt. The COSLUS figure is 3 modes, not 3 pressure levels.
Which picks fit
- Waterpik Aquarius: 10 pressure settings, the most here, plus a massage mode. The catch: it needs an outlet, and owners call it somewhat loud.
- Philips Power Flosser 3000: 3 pressure settings and two modes, and one tank covers a 60 second clean by the maker's figure. The catch: fewer steps, so the jump from low to medium is bigger.
- COSLUS C20: the listing tells you to start on Soft. The catch: some owners find the pressure too strong, so this is not the one we would pick for very tender gums.
A gentle first week
- Use the lowest setting every day for the first week.
- Aim at the gumline the way your manual shows. Waterpik's guide for its standard tip says to aim at a 90 degree angle and pause briefly between teeth.
- Go up one step only if the last one felt fine.
- Stop and call your dentist if you get pain or bleeding that keeps coming back.
Compare all five picks in the shortlist, or check any listing in the run time calculator.
Check with your dentist. This page is general information, not dental advice. Your dentist or hygienist knows your mouth and your dental work, so ask them which tip, pressure and routine suit you before you start.