Editor's Letter
Waterpik
The Advancement of Oral Self-Care
Louis F. Rose, DDS, MD;1 and Beverly Bizup Hawkins, RDH, MA2
The Waterpik® dental water jet has a long, rich history: the first
device—developed by a dentist—was
introduced to the dental community in 1962. Dentists and dental hygienists
welcomed its unique cleaning ability for patients with orthodontic
appliances or physical challenges. At that
time, the “plaque hypothesis” was in full swing. However, in
the last 10 years, a better comprehension of
the efficacy of the dental water jet became evident with groundbreaking
research on inflammatory mediators and biofilm, coupled with the
understanding of the pathogenesis of periodontal infections and plaque as a
biofilm.
Today, self-care devices must meet the needs of a
changing population. Patients are living longer
and keeping their teeth, and they have a choice of restorative materials
such as implants, veneers,
and composites. They want products that are effective on multiple levels,
safe on dental materials and tissue, and easy
to use. The market provides a number of dental products that can help
patients control biofilm and reduce inflammation at home. However,
few feature the comprehensive research of the dental water jet.
The outcome of oral self-care is no longer confined to
the mouth. The intent is to manage the oral
cavity as it relates to the whole body. A device that can reach difficult
areas, remove biofilm, reduce inflammation,
modulate the host response, and reduce inflammatory markers in the
body would be a comprehensive solution indeed. While no such
self-care device yet exists, the dental water jet comes close making it a
device not for a select few, but for many.
In this issue, the articles are designed to broaden
your knowledge of dental water jet research and
introduce new findings in biofilm removal. Gorur and colleagues evaluate
dental water jets and management of biofilms,
and Ciancio provides an overview of the research. Tilliss discusses the changing face of self-care practices, while
Levin promotes the dental water jet as an in-office value-added service.
Enjoy sharing the clinical findings and concepts presented in this issue
with your colleagues, and we hope to have provided you with a spark for
enthusiastic professional exchange.
1 Clinical Professor of Periodontics, University of
Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and New York University, New
York, New York; Professor of Medicine, Drexel University College of
Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and private practice, periodontics
and implant dentistry, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
2 Research Faculty,
Drexel University Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Drexel Medical
School; and private practice, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
