Frequently Asked Questions

Question
Can Periogen hurt enamel?

Answer
No, Periogen® cannot damage any type of tooth surface; which are made of calcium phosphate.  Periogen® dissolves only tartar, which is comprised of ionic calcium phosphate salt.

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Question
Can I use Periogen to dissolve tartar off my cat’s teeth?

Answer
We have no study to indicate Periogen® effectiveness on animals.

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Question
Periogen has fluoride; how much?  Why?

Answer
Periogen® contains a small percentage of sodium fluoride ions (.04%) in order to have a guaranteed ion source to facilitate tartar dissolution.  Typical fluoride toothpastes contain about .24% sodium fluoride, or 6 times as much.

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Question
Can I use an oral irrigator other than a Waterpik Ultra?

Answer
If you are addressing pockets no greater than 3mm, any irrigator will do.  The Waterpik Ultra comes with a special tip, called the PikPocket, which is specially designed for periodontal conditions.  It can penetrate pockets as deep as 6mm.

Question
Can I mix Periogen with other products?

Answer
Periogen® needs no other product to kill germs and dissolve tartar. The only product we recommend to be added to a solution of Periogen® is a small amount of hydrogen peroxide.  We have found that this increases Periogen® effectiveness in the first thirty days of use only.

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Question
May I use more Periogen than the label says?

Answer
Yes. The amount of Periogen® to use as indicated in the directions is meant to ration the bottle for the maximum amount of applications.  There is no limit to how much you can use for a given application.  Periogen® anti-tartar effectiveness may increase slightly by adding more, but will make little difference in the long run.  Since Periogen® is effervescent by nature, adding more for application via a periodontal applicator may introduce a momentary discomfort.

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Question
I was told I need a deep cleaning, or even root planing and scaling. I have 5mm pockets and one 7mm pocket.  Can Periogen help?

Answer
Yes, Periogen® can definitely help by dissolving the tartar that the deep cleaning or root planing and scaling will be addressing.  5mm pockets will need to have Periogen® applied via a Waterpik Ultra, while the 7mm pocket will need to have Periogen® applied via a periodontal applicator.  Both are available on our web store.

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Question
Can Periogen clog my Waterpik like some mouthwashes do?

Answer
No.  When dissolved, Periogen® goes into solution, and is not a mixture.  It is in many ways like a water softener which never clogs irrigators.

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Question
The ingredients say Periogen has citric acid.  Isn’t that too acidic?

Answer
This is a great question that has been posed by even college professors.  Yes, Periogen® contains a considerable amount of citric acid, but it also contains an even greater amount of sodium bicarbonate.  When placed in water, these two chemical react; creating carbonic acid (a weak acid) and releasing CO2, thus creating effervesces that dissolves the other ingredients into solution.  The resulting solution has a healthy pH of 7.6.

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Question
Can I buy my Waterpik Ultra at a local store?

Answer
Certainly.  And that is recommended if you are in Canada, as the tariffs are quite high.  We offer Ultras on our web store as both a courtesy and to make sure you get the right irrigator.  Our prices are at or below most store prices, we only charge sales tax in California, and if you are having your Periogen® shipped UPS Ground, the difference in shipping cost is negligible.

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Question
What does Periogen taste like?

Answer
Periogen® has been described as either flavorless or being like a slightly citrus spritzer.