TLDR: Absolutely worth it. Use the concentrate in your waterpik, and the RTU straight, to combat dental decay, periodontal disease, gingivitis, and halitosis (bad breath). I am a Registered Dental Hygienist practicing in NY, with over a decade of experience in treating thousands of patients over the years. The battle against the bacteria which cause gingivitis, periodontal disease and dental caries (cavities) is a primary goal of all in the dental field, so any genuinely new advance in the science of antimicrobials is a serious---and exciting---matter. About six months ago, I attended a continuing education session on the topic of molecular iodine solutions in the dental field. It was sponsored by ioRinse, who have patented the process by which to stabilize elemental iodine (two iodine molecules bonded together, not a compound, many species of which appear in povidone iodine, the dark brown liquid for hospital and home use) in solution. As usual, I went in with a bit of skepticism, as continuing education classes often amount to little more than sales presentations. As the class progressed, however, with peer-reviewed scientific study after study and numerous clinical case studies, my curiosity was piqued. The inclusion of xylitol, another tooth-friendly ingredient, and no alcohol were a bonus. They did, of course, offer free samples of their mouthwashes to the dental professionals attending, so I accepted and tried them out myself. The next morning, I had zero morning breath. No tongue coating, nothing. I was shocked, to say the least. I used up my samples and immediately ordered the full size bottle of concentrate on Amazon out of my own pocket. I have been using a half capful diluted in my waterpik reservoir a couple times a week over the last six months (the directions say a full capful, but my reservior is mini; handheld would also use less). The improvement in my oral health is unmistakable. The bottle lasts forever, too. I recommend it now to all my patients who have issues with gingivitis, perio, or caries, even though really all of them could use it safely, unlike the previous go-to for perio patients (chlorhexidine gluconate), which is prescription only and toxic to use for more than two weeks. In contrast, anyone can use ioRinse, every day, for the rest of their life, completely safely. I only wish it was not proprietary and a generic version was available for cheaper, but I suppose we can't begrudge the inventors their patent, haha. It is a game changer for dentistry, and I cannot wait until it becomes more well-known and widely used. It will make my job a lot easier!
