Waterpik vs Sonicare toothbrush: how do they compare?

Waterpik and Sonicare are reputable brand names when it comes to dental hygiene products.

A question that I am often asked is, which is better?

This is not the simplest question to answer, as will become apparent in this article.

Whilst individual circumstances and needs can affect the answer, for most people, I would suggest you buy a Sonicare electric toothbrush AND a Waterpik water flosser.

The two I recommend the most are, for a toothbrush:

Philips Sonicare 4100 Series

$42.99 Amazon Philips - check price

For a water flosser:

Waterpik Aquarius

$84.28 Amazon $121.8 Walmart

For those who want to understand the complications and know why I have come to the conclusions I have, please read on.

What is it you want - water flosser or electric toothbrush?

When considering which is better, it is about understanding what it is you actually need or want.

Waterpik are best known for their range of water flossers, whilst Sonicare are best known for their electric toothbrushes.

To reiterate, whilst there are exceptions to the rule (as I will explain shortly), Sonicare makes toothbrushes, whilst Waterpik manufacture water flossers.

If you are not familiar with a water flosser, they are a type of oral hygiene product that pushes water (or mouthwash) into the mouth at pressure through a nozzle.

The intention is that the pressure of the water dislodges and washes away plaque, bacteria and food debris that might reside on the teeth and along the gumline.  They are designed primarily to assist with interdental cleaning, the gaps in between your teeth, where regular toothbrushes don’t reach or clean as well

Dental professionals will generally advise that they are used in addition to string floss or interdental brushes.  Where mobility is an issue, they can be used as an alternative.

However, as the products have advanced and citizens, on the whole, continue to irregularly or ineffectively floss, water flossers have become a modern convenience that encourages more regular flossing and a better than nothing approach in the eye of dental professionals.

An electric toothbrush, on the other hand, is an electrically powered toothbrush that makes rapid, automated movements of bristles and primarily relies on physical contact between the bristles and the teeth to clean them.  It is an alternative to the manual toothbrush.

With this in mind is it a toothbrush or water flosser that you need, or is it both?

Perhaps you need both

As part of your daily oral health routine, you should be brushing twice a day for 2 minutes and flossing at least once a day so both companies have something that can help you.

Water flossers and electric toothbrushes have their pros and cons. Neither are 'essential' a manual toothbrush and floss is fine. But, for those who know they have a poor oral health care routine with irregular cleaning patterns, both will most certainly bring benefits.

This might then mean you want or need both.

However, to make things slightly more complicated, Waterpik does make electric toothbrushes and Sonicare also produces water flossers.

Waterpik even make products that contain a water flosser and electric toothbrush in one device.  They are a combination of both products. They refer to these as ‘Complete Care’.

Therefore ultimately, you could opt for a flosser or electric toothbrush from either company.

What about a 'Waterpik toothbrush'?

A ‘Complete Care’ unit is the name given to a type of product that Waterpik sells. These include both an electric toothbrush and a water flosser built into the same unit.

This means that you have just 1 unit sat on your countertop and connecting to a power supply.  This is instead of 2 individual units taking up more space on the countertop and connecting to 2 plugs on the wall.

At the time of writing, Waterpik offers 4 Complete Care units, the Complete Care 9.0 and 9.5 being the latest models.

It should be noted that Waterpik also manufactures the Waterpik Sonic-Fusion which literally does combine toothbrush and water flosser into one hybrid product.  I will cover this in more detail later in this article, but unfortunately, this combination of water flosser and toothbrush does not perform as well as it should. 

Water flossers have toothbrush attachments

Just when you thought it could not get any more complicated, it does.

You see, water flossers normally have nozzles or tips, that fit to a handle that you use to control the water jet that does the cleaning.

Those tips come in a number of different styles to aid those with different needs.

Whilst the Classic Jet Tip is suitable for most, the orthodontic tip is better suited to those with braces and the Pik Pocket Tip for those with periodontal pockets.

But Waterpik and other brands of water flosser manufacturers do offer a toothbrush tip.

The typically round brush head has a high density of bristles but allows the water to continue to be pushed out as you move the brush head over and around the teeth.

In most instances, the bristles rely on you to move the head repeatedly, they do not move automatically, like a traditional electric toothbrush might, so although the toothbrush tip exists it does not work in quite the same way as an electric toothbrush and therefore is fair to compare side by side.

The inclusion of the toothbrush tip ultimately allows for you and me to offer up additional aggravation or scrubbing power to the teeth and gums to dislodge and lift plaque, bacteria and food particles.

Waterpik vs electric toothbrush

Clinical research clearly shows how both an electric toothbrush and a water flosser can remove plaque, the primary reason we clean our teeth.

Although some water flossers may have toothbrush attachments, you might be wondering whether you could use a water flosser instead of an electric toothbrush.

Technically there is nothing stopping you from doing just this, but it really goes against the advice that dental professionals would offer.

In what is almost unanimous agreement across the world, brushing and flossing are considered 2 separate, but necessary acts.

The electric toothbrush is one of the best ways to clean the teeth, whilst water flossers are a proven effective way to clean the interdental spaces that toothbrushing simply does not reach.

Electric toothbrush pros and cons

Here is a quick summary of what I consider to be the positives and negatives of an electric toothbrush.

Pros

• Consistent power
  • It does the hard work so you don't have to
• Greater plaque removal
  • Cleans with more efficiency due to consistent power and motion
• Reduces tooth decay and improves gum health
  • The improved cleaning ability has a knock-on effect to encourage better health in the mouth.
• Timers and pacers to encourage a 2 minute clean
  • Additional technology allows for extra features that encourage better oral health.
• Various cleaning modes
  • Achieve specific goals and meet your needs with different modes.
• Different brush heads
  • Differing styles to achieve different results
• Value added features
  • Travel cases, pressure sensors, apps and smart features for a more enjoyable user experience.
• The relatively low lifetime cost

Cons

• Initial cost
  • More expensive than a manual brush
• Battery life
  • Require recharging fairly frequently
• Cost of replacement heads
  • Required every 3 months, 1 head is equivalent to the cost of a manual brush

Water flosser pros and cons

Here is a quick summary of what I consider to be the positives and negatives of a water flosser.

Pros

• Ease of use
  • Easier to use than string floss, particularly for those with limited dexterity.
• Comfort
  • Softer, less aggressive and harsh on the gums.
• Speed
  • Once perfected in the technique it is often quicker than regular flossing.
• Effectiveness
  • The water gets into the smallest of gaps and under the gum where floss can’t.  Also great for braces.

Cons

• Cost
  • Much more expensive to buy than string floss.
• Size/Portability
  • Even the cordless options are bulky and don’t fit in a pocket.
• Power
  • Require mains power or batteries to function.
• Technique
  • Take some getting used to.
• Effectiveness
  • Can’t scrape the plaque away like floss and interdental brushes do.

Waterpik toothbrush pros and cons

Here is a quick summary of what I consider to be the positives and negatives of the combining of water flossers and toothbrushes.

Pros

• Space saving
  • Normally takes up less space on the countertop as there is 1 combined charing stand rather than 2.
• Convenience
  • Buy 1 product that has the 2 items you need, less hassle shopping around, etc.
• Price
  • A potential to be a bit more cost effective than buying 2 separate items.

Cons

• Choice
  • Limited options.
• Quality/performance
  • The combined offering doesn’t necessarily offer you the best electric toothbrush or the best water flosser.
• Reliability
  • Should 1 of the 2 parts fail, it could have a knock-on effect on the other.
• Price
  • Not actually always cheaper than buying 2 separate items.

I need a water flosser - Waterpik vs Sonicare

If it is a water flosser that you want, you can ultimately choose between either brand, but I suggest opting for a Waterpik flosser.

Philips have their range of power flossers, which includes 4 countertop and 1 cordless unit.

It is the countertop power flosser 3000 that is my top choice within the Sonicare range and the Aquarius within the Waterpik lineup.

Having tested both, I have compared the power flosser 3000 to the Aquarius, and all things considered, the Waterpik is the model to opt for.

That said, there isn't a significant difference between them and both are very good with clinical evidence backing each as well as the American Dental Associations Seal of Acceptance.

It is more important to just pick one and use it than worry too much about which one is the absolute best.

I need an electric toothbrush - Waterpik vs Sonicare

Whilst Sonicare is actually better known for their electric toothbrushes, with a much more comprehensive range, Waterpik are not as behind as one might imagine.

Waterpik sonic toothbrushes exist, in fact, they are often sold as a package containing an electric toothbrush and water flosser.  You will find them labeled as Waterpik Complete Care units.

Of all the features we have seen and experienced on electric toothbrushes, we rank them into high, medium and low priority.

Despite not being best known for toothbrushes, the Waterpik sonic toothbrushes have those high priority features built-in.

When comparing a Waterpik sonic toothbrush vs Sonicare, Sonicare still ultimately wins.

I do believe overall Sonicare brushes are better from a design, clean, innovation and general experience point of view.  They include more of the features users desire of a product, but the Waterpik electric toothbrushes are still very good.

My primary choice for a Sonicare brush is the 4100 Series.  It is a fantastic example of what is available today, without the need to spend all that much money.

Both brands offer built-in timers and pacers that encourage a 2 minute clean, as well as doing a good job of cleaning the teeth and gumline.

In each case, they rely on the physical contact of the bristles to clean the teeth and gums as well as a non-contact approach that uses the sonic technology to disrupt plaque beyond the tips of the bristles.

Both firms have undertaken extensive research to show how effective their products are.

Waterpik, in particular, have been shown in one study to remove 80% of biofilm without the use of physical contact, compared to the 62% of Sonicare.  Another study suggested a 52% improvement in plaque removal over Sonicare FlexCare brushes.

However, there is little evidence that conclusively shows 1 brand should be used over another.  More could be done, as the studies often look at specifics that cannot necessarily be applied to all brush models with their range.

Despite evidence in favor of Waterpik, I do believe ultimately that Sonicare’s focus on electric toothbrushes gives them an advantage in the brushing department that Waterpik have in the water flosser market.

Sonicare bring small touches and enhancements to their models that add to the overall user experience that a Waterpik sonic toothbrush cannot match to the same degree at this time.

I need both

If you need or want both an electric toothbrush and a water flosser, then you could buy the previously mentioned Complete Care unit from Waterpik, as this solution pretty much combines water flosser and toothbrush.

However, if you are happy to buy and own 2 completely separate items you have the best choices and options available to you.

You can purchase each as separate items, from either brand.

By buying separates, you have the advantage of getting the best from each product category.

Our electric toothbrush buyer's guide and water flosser buyer's guide will surely be of interest to you.

The Sonicare 4100 Series electric toothbrush and the Waterpik Aquarius water flosser would be 2 fantastic choices.

Philips Sonicare 4100 Series

$42.99 Amazon Philips - check price

Waterpik Aquarius

$84.28 Amazon $121.8 Walmart

Waterpik Sonic-Fusion - a toothbrush & waterpik in one device

For those that wish to be on the cutting edge of innovation, the new Sonic-Fusion flossing toothbrush from Waterpik combines both into just 1 product.

Unlike the Complete Care units, the Sonic-Fusion is the actual combination of water flosser and electric toothbrush.

Rather than 2 separate handles, the water is fed into and up the brush handle of the Sonic-Fusion, before being pumped out of a small nozzle situated amongst bristles of what otherwise looks like a conventional toothbrush head.

Innovative it is, I have to award Waterpik points for trying something new.  However, what sounds like a great idea, in reality, isn’t. The daily use and performance is inferior to the use of 2 separate items.

If you really do want one of these, the Waterpik Sonic-Fusion is the best one you can buy, but as per the advice throughout this article, I would recommending getting two separate products.

Waterpik Sonic-Fusion vs Sonicare

A number of site visitors have asked what is the Sonic-Fusion like in comparison to the Sonicare range of electric toothbrushes.

The way in which the brush head moves is the biggest similarity between these products.  It uses the same cleaning technique, which isn’t all that bad, but this is where the similarity ends.

My hands-on review of the Sonic-Fusion 2.0 goes into more detail, but in reality, there is no competition.

I actually conclude, that rather than buying the Sonic-Fusion, you are better off purchasing a Sonicare 4100 Series electric toothbrush, alongside a Waterpik water flosser, as together these are a cheaper and better combination for your dental health than the Sonic-Fusion.

Whilst the Sonic-Fusion works as a toothbrush and works as a water flosser, it falls short of the alternative choices, hence my feeling towards this product.