Is a mouth shower useful?

An oral irrigator is particularly suitable for cleaning those areas that a conventional toothbrush cannot reach. However, it is very important to know that an oral irrigator cannot achieve the same effectiveness as dental floss or interdental brushes. Nevertheless, an oral irrigator is suitable for people who wear fixed braces, for example.

An oral irrigator can help here above all in the rough removal of food remains. This also applies to patients with implants or bridges. Furthermore, an oral douche can help prevent bad breath by removing food residues from hard-to-reach areas of the mouth.

Also for patients with limited motor skills, who for this reason have problems with flossing or interdental brushes, an oral irrigator is a way to remove coarse food particles from the interdental spaces and thus improve oral hygiene. In general, an oral irrigator is a good addition to daily oral hygiene, but it should not replace the use of a toothbrush, interdental brushes or dental floss. If plaque or tartar, i.e. sticky deposits of bacteria on the teeth, have already formed, they cannot be removed with an oral irrigator.

It can only rinse out fresh food leftovers. A critical factor when using an oral irrigator is the possibility of gum injuries. Bleeding gums are the entry points for bacteria, which are washed into the body by the water pressure. This can lead to a so-called bacteremia and in some patients even to a life-threatening heart valve inflammation.

Fields of application of an oral irrigator

If deep gum pockets are present, this indicates an existing inflammation of the periodontium, a so-called periodontitis. This means that the bone and the rest of the periodontium, i.e. fibres and gums, are gradually degraded by certain types of bacteria. Treatment of this inflammation is very important.

It is better not to use an oral irrigator while deep gum pockets are present. The water jet of an oral douche could cause injuries in the already inflamed and loosened gum pockets. Furthermore, an oral irrigator cannot remove bacteria or plaque.For gum pockets, interdental brushes are suitable for cleaning the interdental spaces, which can be soaked in a disinfecting solution (CHX solution) available in pharmacies.

The use of an oral irrigator is not suitable for periodontally already pre-damaged patients, i.e. patients with periodontitis. Periodontitis is an inflammation of the periodontal apparatus. It can develop from an inflammation of the gums, the origin of which is based on a lack of oral hygiene and the formation of plaque.

Parodontitis can lead to bone resorption and ultimately to the loss of teeth and must therefore be treated. The water jet from an oral irrigator could cause injuries in the already inflamed and loosened gum pockets. The aggressive germs present in periodontitis would be washed into the bloodstream, thus increasing the risk of endocarditis or blood poisoning.

An oral irrigation is recommended especially for patients with fixed orthodontic appliances. However, they are also suitable for coarse cleaning of the interdental spaces. This is especially the case for patients who find it very difficult to handle interdental brushes or dental floss.

However, the effectiveness of the oral irrigator cannot achieve the same results as interdental brushes or dental floss. In this case, the best way is an interplay of all oral hygiene measures. This topic might also be of interest to you: Braces cleanA mouth shower can be very suitable in the fight against bad breath.

Bad breath is mostly caused by remaining food residues in the spaces between the teeth or by increased bacterial plaque on the tongue. The bacteria, which are always in our mouth, metabolize the food residues. This process produces sulfur-containing intermediate products that cause the unpleasant odor.

An oral irrigator can remedy this by rinsing the coarse food particles between the teeth and the plaque from the tongue. However, the use of a toothbrush, tongue cleaner and dental floss is more effective. Many patients use an oral douche to remove their almond stones.

This can be a little unfamiliar and difficult at first. One should use a light to maximum moderate pressure of the lukewarm water jet. If you feel pain during the application or if the treated area bleeds, the application must be stopped immediately.

Furthermore a doctor should be consulted. The rinsed out stones should be spat out if possible. It is not harmful to swallow them, but they could be crushed and cause unpleasant bad breath.