When it comes to my oral health I have to admit that I don’t do as much for my teeth as I should. Growing up I used to hate to be made to brush my teeth (I know, that sounds pretty gross). If I brushed my teeth at least once each day my parents were happy.
As soon as I became a parent my thoughts about dental care did a complete 180. When it comes to my own children I make sure they get regular check ups and they know they have to brush and floss their teeth AT LEAST twice a day (more if possible). They brush their teeth in the morning and before going to bed at night. Sometimes I’ll catch them brushing their teeth when they get home from school. That makes this mom very happy.
When I was younger I never flossed. It wasn’t encouraged in my home. As a teenager, when I discovered how clean my mouth felt after flossing, I became a regular flosser. As far as I’m concerned my mouth is not fully clean unless I flossed.
Getting my kids to floss 1-2 times per day is easier said than done. As you know flossing can be hard to do. It’s not easy to reach in the back of your mouth and floss your molars. Even with those floss-on-a-stick flossers it’s not that easy to floss all your teeth.
When I was contacted to try out the Philips Sonicare AirFloss I jumped on the opportunity. I was sent a free sample unit to review (there was no compensation).
The Philips Sonicare AirFloss is a small, handheld device that reminds me of a water pick. To use you simply fill a small chamber up with water, aim the nozzle to where you want to floss or remove debris stuck between your teeth, and then press the button. A small burst of water and aim comes out. The water and air is suppose to help clean debris and bacteria from inbetween your teeth, especially in those hard to reach places.
Sonicare AirFloss provides an easier way to remove plaque in between teeth. It uses advanced air and MicroBurst technology that cleans your entire mouth in just 60 seconds, removing 99 percent more plaque between teeth than brushing with a manual toothbrush alone. A whopping 86% of users said that flossing with Sonicare AirFloss is actually easier than flossing with regular dental floss.
The idea of a little burst of air and water doing as good a job as traditional dental floss didn’t seem like it would work. How can air and water remove all that icky stuff that is hiding in all the nooks and crannies of your mouth? Since I don’t feel like my mouth is clean without flossing, and I have a hard time with my back teeth, I was happy to give the Sonicare AirFloss a try.
Here is a brief video that shows you the Sonicare AirFloss in action.
There was no way I was making my own video. I’m not exactly proud of my teeth. In fact I’m subconcious about them. 🙁
The first few times I tried it the procedure took longer than it normally should. Once you get the hang of it you can floss your entire mouth in about a minute (give or take). The first few times I used the AirFloss it took about 3-4 minutes.
I was hesitatant about it the very first time I used it. Do you know that test at the eye doctor they give you with the burst of air that goes into your eye and takes you totally off gaurd? That is how I felt about the AirFloss. It was that initial “not knowing what to expect” feeling that had me worried. Honestly you barely feel anything with the Sonicare AirFloss.
You can use your favorite mouthwash instead of water. I have not tried that yet but plan on it. I think using mouthwater in place of water would be better for your teeth because you get the germ fighting power of the mouthwash as well as removing debris from in between your teeth.
Unlike traditional floss the Sonicare AirFloss “head” is angeled perfectly to help you reach the back of your mouth. I think that is my biggest pet peeve about floss-on-a-stick type flossers – that they are no angled in such a way that you can reach the back of your mouth. You can reach the back with regular string floss, but that is not that easy either.
Once you get the hang of it the AirFloss does leave your mouth feeling really clean. A couple of times I did have to use a piece of regular floss to get something that seemed a bit wedged in there that the AirFloss didn’t get out. It was only a couple of times so it was not a big deal.
I should make you aware that some water can splash out of your mouth when you use the AirFloss. I would recommend that you do not stand too close to the mirror and make sure you use the AirFloss before getting dressed (you wouldn’t want water on your work clothes).
I was just at the dentist about 5+ weeks ago, so I’m not due for a check up for a few more months. I’ll ask my dentist if he notices a difference in my teeth and update this post to let you know if using the Sonicare AirFloss is just as good, or better, than traditional flossing.
If you have children who hate to floss or who have a difficult time flossing you might want to get them an AirFloss. I think this product would be great for children who either hate to floss or have a hard time flossing. The unit is not cheap (it retails for $89.99) so you might want to keep an eye out for younger children who use this (you wouldn’t want them to drop it). Older children and teens would be better candidates for this. In fact, if you have a teen with braces the AirFloss would be perfect for them. My daughter had braces and I know how hard it was for her to floss her teeth. Her braces are off now but she has a metal bar glued behind four of her front teeth due to short roots. It’s hard for her to floss around the bar. The AirFloss would be the perfect solution for her.
The Philips Sonicare AirFloss is available at many retail locations including Walmart, Target, Amazon.com and Drugstore.com.
For more information about the Sonicare AirFloss visit the Philips Sonicare website, or at Philips.com. You can also follow the brand on Facebook and Twitter.
Kimberly
*I received a free product sample in order to do this review. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own and were not influenced in any way.
Sandy Cain (aka Candy Samenow) says
Cleaning the teeth interproximally, is SO important! More important than brushing actually, becauuse most problems (decay and periodontal disease) start between the teeth, where even the most careful brushing can’t reach. If you are going to do ONLY one or other (and you need to do both) – FLOSS!
ANN*H says
We never flossed either at our home . Tho I know it is important part of dental hygiene. This I would rather do that floss. Im sure this the kids would gladly do also instead of flossing too. Thanks for the review on it.
Donna George says
I hate to floss for the very reasons you stated. I have tight teeth, and floss tends to shred. Thanks for the information.
Janet W. says
I didn’t even know they made such a thing! I’d love to try this! Sometimes flossing can hurt, and I’m glad to know you hardly felt anything with the Sonicare AirFloss
april yedinak says
This would be great for my kids. They don’t like to floss because we have very tightly spaced teeth and the floss gets stuck and we have to kind of fight to get it in and out. Thanks for the info.
Maria Iemma says
this is fantastic – no excuse for not flossing, it is so easy!
Tammy S says
This is beyond cool! I am one of those people that floss their teeth all the time. I carry floss in my purse in case I need it. now my husband and kids are a different story. I am lucky if they floss once a day. I would love to own one of these. I might even be nice and buy one for everyone else in the house. Great Review!!
Sandy VanHoey says
What a great product! I’d like to have it for my grandson. He is 5 and they have him the Sonic toothbush recommended by his dentist. He’s not too fond of flossing either but this may help him out a lot. Thanks for another great review.
Ari says
I have noticed that I do have trouble reaching the back molars, even with the floss-on-a-stick tool! I always wonder if I’m actually cleaning or just idly wasting my time thinking I’m really catching anything with the floss. If I can target the back with the Philips Sonicare, I am sure that my teeth would improve dramatically. I also wondered how water and air can remove bacteria but I guess the pressure really does the trick. Thanks for your comprehensive review, I’ll have to put the Sonicare Airfloss on my wish list!
Debi H. says
Would love to try a product like this. I hate flossing and don’t do it as often as I should. I find that the floss will shred easy and sometimes irritate my gums.