NEW YORK — Waterpik Inc. has ushered in what it calls a “new era in oral care products” with introduction of the Waterpik Sidekick Water Flosser and Waterpik Whitening Water Flosser.

Unveiled at a press event Tuesday evening at the Museum of Arts & Design in Manhattan, the new Waterpik water flossers combine functionality, performance and design, according to the company.

Waterpik’s Suzanne Carranza with the new Waterpik Sidekick Water
Flosser at the launch event in NYC’s Museum of Arts & Design.

“The Museum of Arts & Design was a fitting location to roll out these two innovative products,” said Suzanne Carranza, senior marketing communications manager at Waterpik.

The Waterpik Sidekick Water Flosser offers all the oral health benefits of a full-sized device in an ultra-compact, collapsible design created for portability.

Transforming from a cube-like shape into what looks like a scaled-down unit, the Sidekick offers full-sized performance and water capacity for 60 seconds of flossing at a turn, removing plaque and bacteria between teeth, in hard-to-reach areas of the mouth and below the gumline.

The Sidekick removes up to 99.9% of plaque from treated areas and is up to 50% more effective for improving gum health versus string floss, Carranza said. The device assembles and disassembles quickly and can be stored in a drawer, handbag or briefcase. In addition, the Sidekick comes with a zip-up, water-resistant travel pouch to catch drips.

According to Carranza, the collapsible design will appeal to trend seekers and gadget lovers. “It’s perfect for active people on the go. Sidekick tags along on vacation, travels to the office or school, stores in small spaces and will add a little fun to oral health care routines,” she said.

What’s more, she expects the Sidekick to attract people who’ve never used a water flosser before. “From our research, [we found that] about 25% of Americans floss daily. It’s our goal with these products to help bring those numbers up. Sidekick is serious oral care in a charismatic, sassy package. It makes caring for gums and teeth easier and more effective. Why shouldn’t water flossing be fun, too?”

Waterpik Whitening Water Flosser

The Sidekick weighs just over a pound and comes in three color combinations: white with chrome accents, white with rose gold accents, and black with copper accents. Other features include five pressure settings with a sliding pressure control, a swivel-handled flossing stylus with tip and a dual-function water reservoir that flips for travel and easy storage.

“This is not your father’s Waterpik,” noted Brian Woodard, director of new products at Waterpik. “There is nothing else like Sidekick in the marketplace today. Sidekick will become standard travel gear, just like a toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush and shaver.”

SideKick is currently available online at Amazon.com and Waterpik.com, but Waterpik expects the product to become available at retailers later this year.

Meanwhile, the Waterpik Whitening Water Flosser combines patented water flosser and whitening infuser technologies, mixing a gentle whitening agent with water to remove stains between the teeth and in hard-to-reach places.

Woodard said the whitening process is uncomplicated. Users insert a whitening tablet into the water flosser handle, aim the pressurized water flow at teeth and then water floss as usual.

Using the Whitening Water Flosser for a minute per day helps restore natural whiteness to teeth in four weeks and maintains a whiter smile with ongoing use, according to Woodard. The product is accepted by the American Dental Association.

Other features of Whitening Water Flosser include 10 pressure settings, 90 seconds of water capacity, a removable and dishwasher-safe reservoir, an in-handle water flow control and a swivel-handle hose for improved access to hard-to-reach tooth surfaces. The unit comes with four interchangeable tips for standard use (and for those with special dental needs, such as implants and dental braces) as well as with a one-month supply of 30 whitening tablets.

The Waterpik Whitening Water Flosser is available this month at retailers such as CVS Pharmacy, Walgreens and Walmart.

To help consumers get in the habit of flossing on a daily basis, Waterpik also is launching the Waterpik 14 Day Challenge app in March, Carranza added.