No notes on changes in GI or Pl. These are limitations to the Water Pik. Great benefits likely are not to be seen, but will help certain situations, such as orthodontics and poor dexterity. For the treatment of gingivitis, there is evidence of some benefit in using irrigation. With periodontal disease, however, there are no definite trials that indicate irrigation is of any particular value.
Many companies sell irrigation devices for both home and office use.
Literature seems to indicate that office irricationis mor effective since the drug is more consistently placed in the proper area and the drug concentrations are likely to be according to the manufacturer's specifications. Home irrigation units are best used only by those motivated patients with above average dexterity and who have easily accessible disease sites, such as furcations, anterior teeth. Probably novelty is a factor with these units and will wear off in a short time. Using them may also be inconvenient. People are not likely to go through the daily routine of setting up the unit, dispensing the medication, spending the time to perform the irrigation, then cleaning up the whole mess.