Waterpik Ultra Water Flosser

I have a permanent lower retainer which I've had in my mouth for 10 years now. For the longest time, I was considering getting it removed because I hate how difficult it is to floss around it using the threaders and such. I looked around online long enough to realize that the risk of removing my retainer was that my teeth would revert back to their overcrowded, shark-like jaggedness. Anyway, I heard a lot of good things about this Waterpik as an easy and effective solution for flossing between and around permanent retainers, not to mention that it is very healthy for the gums so I gave it a shot.Let me tell you, I LOVE MY WATERPIK! I'm not sure how durable it is, as I've only had it for a few months, but it makes cleaning my gums an easy part of my daily routine instead of a chore (which is how I used to feel about it). The Waterpik seems like it is decent quality, and I would guess that it should last a little more than a year before it breaks. Time will tell, but if it lasts 10-12 months, I would still be satisfied. This product works very well and it was a savior for me as a solution to threading/flossing the frustrating permanent retainer in the bottom of my mouth.The water blasts/pulses are very powerful and you'll be amazed at the kind of gunk/food you'll see fall out of your mouth and into the sink. It is important to keep your lips semi-closed to prevent water from splashing all over the place. If you're not careful, this machine can be messy.Also, be careful not to move up to full power (level 10) too quickly because you might get a little bleeding as my girlfriend quickly found out, but for those of you who floss quite regularly, I had no problem moving to level 10 right away. One complaint that I have is that the water tank runs out too quickly, but it's really not that big of a deal to turn it off, remove the tank, and fill it back up with water. Takes about 10 seconds... no sweat.I have already convinced another friend of mine to buy this and he said that he loves his Waterpik too.In closing, I can honestly say that if I didn't have my lower retainer, I would have never bought this. I don't mind flossing one bit on my teeth that do not have the permanent retainer, but I could imagine that if you don't like flossing at all in the first place, this would be a great alternative to not flossing at all.So I recommend this product to two types of people in particular:1. People with permanent retainers/other devices in their mouth that are difficult to floss around and through.2. People who do not like to floss in the first place and are having a difficult time making it a regular part of their hygiene routine.*****UPDATE***** 05/13/2010:For a long time now, I've actually been using my Waterpik to blast the hairs out of the three, four, and five-blade shavers when hair gets stuck in them and the running water from my faucet doesn't do the trick. I haven't checked through other reviews to see if other people are doing this, but the Waterpik is worth it for this function alone. If you're tired of having hairs stuck in between the blades of your Mach 3, Quattro, or Fusion razors (or other manual razors), get this Waterpik and blast those hairs out (in addition to getting yourself an excellent device for keeping your mouth/gums clean).Please be aware that you'll get a little bit of splashing, but it's great because you can use those blade cartridges longer and get better results from them by having the hair cleared out of them. I can't believe that I didn't include this in my original review. Perhaps, I'll find another use for my Waterpik over time, but this is one of my favorite purchases EVER. I'll buy another when this one breaks.*****UPDATE***** 6/8/2011About a month ago, I plugged this Waterpik in and it finally broke after 2.5 years. I already miss it (mostly for blasting water from between the blades of my Gillete Mach3, Fusion, and Schick Quattro razors. I plan to buy another Waterpik soon, and I still give it 5-stars despite breaking after a solid 2.5 years of regular usage.

As with most people, my dentist badgers me about flossing. He will be very happy that I purchased the Waterpik, as I tend to use everyday, if not twice a day. It's extremely easy to use and is more convenient than regular flossing, at least for me. I have a permanent retainer on my bottom teeth, which makes it difficult to floss properly, so I tend to avoid flossing altogether. The Waterpik has made it much easier for me to floss regularly PLUS it has proven to be more effective than regular flossing.The adjustable pressure settings and multiple attachments make it a very good product for both my wife and I to use. I am able to use higher pressure settings, while it has lower settings that will work well for her sensitive teeth. The water tank is easy to fill and empty and the attachments are easy to swap out.The standard attachments work very well, as does the "pik pocket" attachment designed to give your gums a deep cleaning. I have limited use for the orthodontic attachment, but I imagine it would have been nice when I had full braces. The tooth rinse attachment may have its uses for some people, but it seemed to just make a mess all of my counter and mirror. The toothbrush attachment might also be useful for some, but I have an Oral B electric toothbrush, so I won't ever use that one.Among all the benefits to this product, there are few drawbacks. First, it has a fairly large footprint, so it may be difficult if you don't have a lot of counter space in your bathroom. We have a dual vanity, so we have room between the sinks, but not everyone has that luxury. Second, the instructions say to unplug the cord when not in use, but there is no mechanism to store or wrap up the cord, so it just sits there by the plug. This is not ideal, since your hands and/or the plug may be wet when you get ready to use the device. Finally, the handy storage tray that sits on top of the water tank doesn't have enough slots to store all of the attachments that come with the device. Even if you keep one attachment installed on the handle, you are still one slot short. This is not a huge deal for me, as I've determined that there are few attachments that I have no use for, but it may be an issue for some.Overall, these are minor deficiencies that don't really relate to the quality or effectiveness of the product, but I felt they were worth mentioning. None of these would impact my rating or my decision to buy this product again. They are just slightly annoying.I would definitely recommend buying this product, even if you are one of the few people that flosses regularly. It is very easy to use, and is very effective.