There has been increasing research evidence that diluted household chlorine bleach, or other products added to the water in the Waterpik reservoir or used as an oral rinse, can be a useful homecare adjunct to control oral bacteria levels when treating or maintaining periodontal disease. Please be advised that the company that makes your oral irrigator will not honor the warranty if anything other than plain water is used in the machine.

Household Chlorine Bleach:

• To use in a Waterpik, fill the Waterpik reservoir with water as instructed. With an eye dropper, add 6-8 drops of household chlorine bleach into the 20 oz reservoir.
• To make an oral rinse, add 10 ml of bleach to 250 ml of water. Swish with 10 ml for 60 seconds twice daily.

Grapefruit Seed Extract (a Natural Alternative):

• To use in a Waterpik, fill the Waterpik reservoir with water as instructed. With an eye dropper, add 20-30 drops of grapefruit seed extract into the 20 oz. reservoir.
• To make an oral rinse, add 20-30 drops of grapefruit seed extract to 500 ml water. Swish with 10 ml for 60 seconds twice daily.

Xylitol:

• Fill the Waterpik reservoir with two parts water to one part Xylitol mouth rinse.
• To use a dissolving sweetener, fill the Waterpik reservoir with water, and dissolve 10 ml xylitol sweetener in the water (about ½ tsp xylitol for each 8 ounces of water).
• To make an oral rinse, use the same recipes for the Waterpik reservoir above. Swish with 10 ml for 60 seconds twice daily.