ASSESSMENT AS OF: JANUARY 2024
HOW TO GET STARTED
- Check with your dentist if you are switching flossing techniques or tools
- Get high-quality natural floss made of materials such as silk to augment your Waterpik cleaning routine
- Find a good place near your sink to plug in your Waterpik - you will need access to power for your Waterpik
- Incorporate into your normal dental hygiene routine
EMBRACE
- Uses water to clean teeth versus disposable plastic floss heads or nylon floss
- Augments an existing sustainable flossing routine such as one that uses silk floss versus synthetic floss
- Uses mostly sustainable packaging
AVOID PRODUCT TYPE
Disposal Head Plastic Flossers
AVOID
- Many flosses are nylon which generates microplastics
- Some flosses are coated in PFAS or forever chemicals
- The floss and packaging will end up in landfills or our waterways and emit microplastics at end-of-life
Noteworthy Product Attributes
Waterpiks and similar water-based irrigation flossers do NOT replace flossing. Before making any changes to your oral hygiene routine, please consult your dentist.
Overall Sustainability Score - 61 / 100
Score Breakdown
Manufacturing (Score - 5/10) - Not made close to the target market
Distribution (Score - 5/10) - Not made close to the target market
Cost (Score - 3/10) - About 50X greater than disposable synthetic floss
Packaging (Score - 8/10) - Contains mostly sustainable packaging - mostly cardboard and paperboard
Effectiveness (Score - 6/10) - Should not be considered a replacement for flossing, but can supplement a more sustainable flossing routine
Lifespan (Score - 8/10) - Waterpik's tend to last years to decades with some still available on eBay that are operational for the 1990s.
Fun (Score - 10/10) - Waterpiks are fun to use
Relevance (Score - 10/10) - An ideal addition to an existing flossing routine. Waterpik's do NOT replace flossing.
Disposal (Score - 3/10) - Is made mostly of plastic so cannot be easily disposed of recycled
Recycling (Score - 3/10) - Cannot easily be recycled though some municipalities have small appliance recycling programs
