Philips Sonicare HX8111 Airfloss, Rechargeable Electric Flosser

by Philips Oral Healthcare

• Removes 99% more plaque than a manual toothbrush alone
• Sonicare airfloss cleans in-between all teeth in 60 seconds using only 1 tsp of water
• Helps improve gum health and prevent tooth decay
• Air and micro-droplet technology removes plaque in a single burst
• Ships in Certified Frustration-Free Packaging

Product Description

Product Packaging: Amazon Frustration-Free

Amazon.com

If flossing isn't a regular part of your oral care routine, the Philips Sonicare AirFloss can give you an easy, effective way to clean between your teeth. It features microburst technology that delivers air and microdroplets of water or mouth rinse to remove plaque between teeth, and it's proven safe and gentle on gums and teeth. With one-button functionality and a guidance tip that ensures targeted cleaning, Sonicare AirFloss can quickly clean your entire mouth in just 60 seconds. AirFloss takes the hassle out of flossing so you can get a deep clean every day.

A simple and effective way to remove plaque between teeth. View larger.

Clean your entire mouth in just 60 seconds. View larger.

Microburst Technology Cleans More Effectively

The Sonicare Airfloss's microburst technology applies a quick burst of pressurized air and micro-water droplets to clean deep between teeth where a toothbrush can't reach and with less mess than oral irrigators. This gentle yet effective technology is proven to remove up to 99 percent more plaque between teeth than brushing with a manual toothbrush alone.

Slim Nozzle and Guidance Tip for Hard-to-Reach Areas

The easy-to-hold ergonomic handle features a slim, angled nozzle for easy access to all areas of your mouth and a guidance tip for proper nozzle placement. The guidance tip makes it easy to find the spaces between teeth and place the tip at the appropriate angle for maximum cleaning. Simply guide it along the gum-line until you feel it settle between the teeth.

Easy-to-Fill Reservoir

An easy-to-fill reservoir holds 2 teaspoons of water for two full uses. It can also be filled with mouthwash for added oral health benefits and a fresh feeling.

Rechargeable Battery Lasts Two Weeks per Charge

The AirFloss features a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and multi-voltage charger designed to last two weeks (or 14 uses) on a single charge. A battery indicator light in the power button blinks when it's time to recharge. For added convenience, the AirFloss fits standard Sonicare chargers, eliminating the need for multiple chargers with Sonicare products.

What's in the Box

Philips Sonicare Airfloss, charger, AirFloss nozzle, and instructions.

Better Check-ups Guarenteed

Use Philips Sonicare Airfloss for 28 days and if you are not 100 percent satisfied for any reason, Philips will give you a full refund.

Airfloss

At a Glance:

• Simple one-button use cleans your entire mouth in just 60 seconds
• Microburst technology removes up to 99 percent more plaque than regular brushing
• Slim, angled nozzle and guidance tip make it easy to reach back teeth
• Easy-to-fill reservoir holds 2 teaspoons of water or mouthwash for two uses
• Rechargeable lithium-ion battery lasts up to two weeks on a single charge

Microburst technology

One charge lasts two weeks

Guidance tip

Fits Sonicare chargers

Simple one-button use

Philips Sonicare Toothbrushes
For Kids	Essential Clean			Whiter, Healthier Teeth		Advanced Cleaning		Gum Care	Ultimate Cleaning	Air Floss
Sonicare for Kids	Xtreme e3000	Essence 5600	EasyClean	Healthy White 710	Healthy White R732	FlexCare R910	FlexCare RS930	FlexCare+	Diamond Clean	Air Floss
Model #
HX6311/02	HX3351/02	HX5610/01	HX6511/50	HX6711/02	HX6732/02	HX6911/02	HX6932/10	HX6972/10	HX9332/05	HX8111/02
Rechargeable										An easier way to floss
•	Battery	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•
Quadpacer										For best results use your Philips Sonicare rechargeable toothbrush with Air Floss
•			•	•	•	•	•	•	•
Brushing Modes
Ages 4 - 7	Clean	Clean	Clean	Clean	Clean	Clean	Clean	Clean	Clean
Ages 7 - 10				Clean and White	Clean and White				White
					Sensitive	Sensitive	Sensitive	Sensitive	Sensitive
						Massage	Massage	Massage
						Go Care/Max Care	Go Care/Max Care	Refresh	Polish
								Gum Care	Gum Care	Air & Microdroplet Technology
Handles
1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	Clean between all teeth in only 60 seconds with one teaspoon of water or mouthwash
Included Brush Heads
2	1	1	1	1	2	1	2	2	2
UV Brush Head Sanitizer
							•	•
Travel Charger
			•	•	•		•	•	Deluxe travel case with USB Charger
Illuminated Display
								•	•

Product Description

From the makers of the no.1 recommended sonic toothbrush brand by dental professionals, Philips sonicare has created an easier effective way to floss. Philips sonicare airfloss removes 99% more plaque than a manual toothbrush alone as well as cleans in-between all teeth in 60 seconds, using only 1 tsp of water. Airfloss uses a micro-droplet technology which removes plaque in a single burst and is safe and gentle on the teeth and gums, at the same time helps prevent tooth decay. This device is safe and gentle for implants, veneers, and orthodontic brackets. You will experience noticeable results and a better check-up in 28 days or your money back.

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 0.9 x 1.2 x 8.6 inches ; 4.8 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• Origin: Mexico
• ASIN: B0085RZLVS
• UPC: 075020028723
• Item model number: HX8111/30
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (517 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #650 in Health & Personal Care (See Top 100 in Health & Personal Care)
  • #4 in Health & Personal Care > Personal Care > Oral Hygiene > Oral Irrigators

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

778 of 799 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A great and very effective way for those who should floss more. September 28, 2011

By H. Safi

Product Packaging:Retail

First of all, I must disclose that I work in the Healthcare/ Dental industry. I encounter a lot people everyday who need to floss more or wish flossing was easier, including myself. It should be noted that this is not a form of advice in any way or matter, the opinions here are just my personal thoughts on the device.

Gums, bleeding and Flossing
gums bleed if bacteria grows in the form of plaque on your teeth. Bacteria uses calcium from you saliva to form plaque. Plaque/Calculus form on all surfaces of the teeth and is easily removed by brushing. The problem is with plaque that forms under the gum and in between the teeth. Your body tries to kill the bacteria by pumping more blood to the gums to fight it (inflammation) and thus gums bleed.
Compared to other oral irrigation devices:
I have used the Waterpik for a couple of years and was a little skeptical when I first used the Sonicare. As apposed to the Waterpik, the Sonicare air flosser uses interrupted air/water mist to clean between the teeth. Waterpik uses a continuous jet stream. I was skeptical because the reservoir in the waterpik is 210ml and the air flosser holds about a table spoon full. More about that later.
How it works:
The concept is that if you push water hard enough through the spaces between teeth the water stream will carry with it any food or debris that are stuck there and thus less food for the bacteria to grow on. There is a major difference between that and brushing/flossing. When you floss or brush, you interrupt the formation of plaque. So no the air flosser will not remove plaque. Here is where the air flosser will work, the more food you have between your teeth, the more resources the bacteria will have to form plaque and calculus.... by using the air flosser you slow down this process.
How to use:
I use a mouth wash to fill it up instead of water in the hope that some of that will be retained between my teeth and kill bacteria that is growing there.
you take the tip and fit it interproximally between 2 teeth from the outside (labial: lip side) and activate, move to the next 2 teeth and repeat until you do the whole mouth. I activate the water jet twice for every space from the lip side and once from the tongue side (lingual). sonicare does not recommend this because they are afraid that you might over do it and damage your gums. I dont advocate it either so do at your own risk. I just dont feel one pump will remove everything. Now this is a problem for me because I find I have to fill up the reservoir 2 or 3 times to do the whole mouth.
Many people complain that it makes a mess, but with time it will become easy, just keep your mouth closed.
Who is it and is it not for:
If you use floss and do it regularly then this is not for you. what you are doing is way better habit.
If you have tight contacts, you know because when you eat meat nothing sticks between your teeth, this is not for you.
Now if you have wide contacts, and you know because you cant eat a taco without reaching for anything to clean between your teeth, then this is for you.
If you tried flossing and you really cant get yourself to do it no matter what, then this is for you and way better than nothing.
If your gums bleed every time you brush or floss then pushing some of that mouthwash in there might actually help by reducing the number of bacteria and the food available for it to grow.
When you go to your dentist and get a deep cleaning, the dentist uses a sonic instrument to disrupt the plaque and to break it down. This is ultimately what you need if your gums bleed. once the plaque is gone and you floss/brush/air floss, the formation of plaque is inhibited and your gums live happy, bacteria free. Read more ›

675 of 722 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Not a replacement for flossing August 11, 2011

By James Pine

Product Packaging:Retail|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

The product literature claims that this product "Removes 99% more plaque biofilm between teeth than brushing with manual toothbrush alone" and "Gently and effectively helps improve interproximal gum health in just two weeks". While those may well be true, they don't mention how much better or worse it is when compared to flossing, so I decided to try it myself. After getting used to the Airfloss for a week such that I was no longer causing water to spray all over the mirror and counter top; I brushed my teeth, used the Airfloss and then flossed afterwards. The result was the floss still removed a significant amount of food particles. I'm guessing the majority of it came from between the teeth as opposed to between the teeth and gums.

Admittedly, I've been told by my dentist that I have "tight contact" between my molars so your experience may be different. However, I tried this experiment on several different occasions after having had a variety of meals throughout the day (meats, vegetables, popcorn, etc.) and on every occasion the Airfloss just didn't seem to do a complete job.

With all types of floss and flossers out there that make it easy to reach the back teeth, get around braces and other dental hardware e.g. Gum Soft Picks I don't see any reason to spend so much money on something that doesn't work as well.

679 of 748 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Nearly 2 Years of Use - Excellent Checkups July 29, 2011

By Daniel G. Lebryk TOP 50 REVIEWER

Product Packaging:Retail|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

The Airfloss could turn you into a drool monster, or Dracula. Or, it could just do a great job of cleaning between your teeth. I'm banking on the latter. (After nearly 2 years of use and some of the best checkups I've ever had, I am a true believer in this device, Jan. 10, 2013 update)

I like this product. The gadget aspect of it is nice. The handle is about the diameter of two Sonicare toothbrushes, it's pretty big, but feels really good in my hand. My teeth felt like I had been to the dentist for a cleaning. The airfloss does power through built up food nicely. I didn't floss for a few days, and all the spices, little bits of food, and Wonder White bread stuck between my teeth came right out. I can reach to the back of my mouth really easily, those molars tend to never get a flossing, they will now.

Update January 10, 2013: Sadness, the handle stopped working. I called Philips and they are sending me a brand new handle. Turns out this has a 2 year warranty for any defects. This is way beyond my expectations. The customer support person talked me through troubleshooting to be sure the handle was malfunctioning. Once he determined the unit was broken, I was on hold for a few minutes, and a brand new handle is on its way. Included in the replacement is a return shipping label. This is by far the best warranty service I have ever witnessed. He simply needed a serial number and there were absolutely no questions asked to replace it.

Two dentist visits between my last update. The first was excellent, no gum bleeding, very healthy and my dentist was impressed. The most recent visit wasn't as good, I slacked off using the Airfloss and it showed. It is important for me to use this twice a day, and I was skipping days.... Yes I got a stern talking to by my dentist and hygenist (I deserved it).

People can debate that this is not a replacement for flossing. That's fine. But in my hands, this thing is so much better than flossing - I hate flossing. Yes I hate flossing more than anybody can imagine and I won't do it regularly. I use this thing twice a day and am happy using ing. Theory and practice are two very different things. Nearly two years of use proves that to me.

December 1, 2011 Dentist Visit Update: This is one of the best dental appointments I have ever had. My experience with the Airfloss is outstanding. I started using this device the day of my last check up six months ago. I have used it religiously for the past 6 months, and today is the day I got the results of using this. There is absolutely no question about it, my mouth and teeth are much healthier than they have ever been. Normally my gums show some bleeding during the cleaning, and they are usually somewhat red. Today, they were healthy and pink, with very little bleeding. The hygienist normally spends a long time scraping my teeth, today she spent maybe half the time. Both my dentist and hygienist said the device works and are happy with how much better my gums and teeth look - they will begin recommending it to their patients. This is my personal experience with the Airfloss. I have a lot of trouble flossing or even remembering to floss (actually I pretty much hate flossing), I have no problem brushing my teeth twice a day. Adding this 15 second step to my routine, and I can get a great check up - I'm totally sold.

August 26, 2011 Update: My teeth have never felt cleaner now that I use this at least daily, sometimes twice per day. As I said below, I travel with this I love it that much. A note for those of you that have closely spaced teeth. My wife has trouble finding floss that will fit between her teeth - this device does not work for her. I've never had trouble getting floss between my teeth, so I must be an ideal candidate. If you have very closely spaced teeth (you probably know if you do), you might want to pass on the Airfloss.

July 12, 2012 Update: Some of the other reviews of this product and comments have complained that this is not ADA approved, and that water piks are their favorite thing to use because they are reliable. The ADA has never approved a water pik - they are not ADA approved. In fact no electric dental gadget has been approved by them. So the ADA mark is nice, but missing that approval does not mean a device is a bad device.

The orginal review:

I'm not a huge fan of the reservoir cover; it doesn't close with a snap that would reassure me it is closed. Not every single speck of food was removed in one pass. I can see that using this every day, between my teeth will be cleaner. Sometimes it's hard to get the little head lined up exactly right, either getting a shot of water in my mouth, on the mirror, or misfiring (the little tip was plugged by my teeth and nothing came out).

My gums did bleed a little the first use, but they also do that when I don't floss for a few days. The bleeding stopped after the third day. I wasn't dripping blood from my mouth like Dracula; it was that redness right around the gum line.

There is no ADA (American Dental Association) certificate on this device. That certificate would be nice. This is a very new product. It just happened that the day after I received this, I had a dentist appointment. My dentist is pretty aware of the latest teeth cleaning devices (he actually had a Sonicare toothbrush a good long while before they were available in the store), he had never heard of this. This isn't a dentist's approval of the Airfloss, but he did say it looked like a really good idea. And anything that would encourage people to floss more is a good thing.

January 4, 2012 Update: A little clarification on the ADA - I visited their site and looked over what products have ADA seal of approval. Would it surprise you to know that not a single electric toothbrush, or water pic has their seal of approval? In fact nothing with an electric cord has their seal of approval. I have no experience with this organization, how they approve products, or their rules for what to accept for testing, but it appears to me this device, along with all the other electric dental products, will not get their seal of approval. Not because they are bad products, but because the ADA just doesn't do that, plain and simple.

A lot of different people could use the Airfloss: People with big hands that find flossing the rear teeth difficult. People with a disability where a caregiver needs to floss for them, or have difficulty holding floss with two hands for themselves. Or people that want to be encouraged to floss more often.

I have had a Philips Sonicare toothbrush for around three years. That toothbrush takes a lot of getting used to, getting over the crazy tickling on my teeth, avoid spraying toothpaste all over the room, and getting over the annoying noise.
Like the Sonicare toothbrush, the Airfloss takes some practice. My first few times around I managed to drool all over my shirt and completely wash down the bathroom mirror. Of course some of you will be more mechanically inclined and figure out how to avoid the drool bath and mirror cleaning. The secret is to hold your lower lip up, and make sure the little head is seated between your teeth and not on an angle. It's also important to hold the unit with the tip up.

The device is incredibly simple. It is basically a liquid reservoir and a pump that fires a shot of water and air out the little tip. Pressing on the big green button at the top of the white handle, starts off a winding up noise, a deep click, and a puff. At the base there is a rubber sealed on / off switch. The charger looks like a small hockey puck. Like the Sonicare toothbrush, charging is by induction, meaning there are no electrical contacts.

The liquid reservoir holds about a tablespoon and is supposed to be good for two uses. I actually have to refill mine for a lap around my mouth, maybe I have way more teeth than the average bear. The instructions allow for water or mouthwash in the reservoir. I like the idea of mouthwash; it feels really great in my mouth. Mouthwash can form a hard residue, and that could plug up the machine.

It's hard to say if sharing this device is a good or bad idea. The tip is solid plastic and shiny, there are no bristles at all on it. A little rinse off with mouthwash should clean the tip off for somebody else to use. Well you know, for your significant other, not a community thing for strangers. The tip is really hard to remove, I wouldn't want to constantly snap it off and snap on another tip.

Philips recommends changing the tip every six months. Hard for me to see exactly what could go wrong with the tip. But they are really inexpensive (around nine dollars for a pair Philips Sonicare HX8002/60 Airfloss Replacement NOuncezles, 2 Count).

One charge is supposed to last about two weeks. The unit is fully charged overnight.

The instruction manual is very nice. They even include instructions on how to dispose of the unit when it has expired and you no longer need it. About four times they repeat that this procedure will destroy the unit. The pictures are to wrap the unit in a cloth, smash it with a hammer, and remove the battery. The smashed bits can be tossed in the trash, and the battery should be recycled. This is a new one for me; I've never seen a company that recommends smashing their device with a hammer to remove the battery. Pretty cool Philips.

This is a million times better than a water pik. The Airfloss is a puff between the teeth, a water pik is like a squirt gun all over the place. And there's that nasty hose with the water pik.

I'm so guilty of not flossing, and know I should floss more often. During one six month period, I flossed every night and used mouthwash, that dentist appointment was quick and easy - almost no scraping necessary. The rest of the time, my dentist reminds me to floss more. This gadget just might get me to floss every night now. Read more ›

74 of 80 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Very good, but not quite as good as expected. August 19, 2011

By T. Cosgrove

Product Packaging:Retail

I love my sonicare toothbrush and was very excited to see this product. I have very good teeth in general, but always get flack from my dentist about not flossing. I brush with my sonicare twice a day but I am a very sporadic flosser at best (1-3 times/month max.). I know I should floss, but just find it to be such a hassle.

I've been using the Airfloss for a week now --- typically twice a day. Here are my thoughts thus far:

1. The directions indicate to give it one shot between each tooth. This was not effective for me. I follwed it with floss and the floss removed a LOT of particles left behind by the airflosser. However, if I spray it 3 times between each tooth, it actually does a pretty good job of getting out most of the food particles. Its still not 100%, but it is very good and much better for me than not flossing at all. The downside is that you definitely will have to refill the reservoir at least once when using. I have pretty tight gaps between my teeth which likely has some effect on the performance.

2. In general it is very user friendly, however it will take a little getting used to to get the head lined up between the teeth. If its lined up right, you can feel the burst come between the teeth and hit your tounge. If its not quite right you can get a little splash or if its completely blocked it doesn't spray at all. I'm getting the swing of it. If you don't get the spray right, it doesn't clean well.

3. It's not quite as neat as I would have liked. I get a bit of dribble, but no where near the mess of a waterpik.

4. Works well with both mouth rinse and water. Whether shooting the stuff between your teeth has more benefit than just rinsing your mouth when done, I don't know.

Overall, I like it.... I will continue using it. After 1 week I see a difference in my teeth. They look and feel much cleaner. I see huge potential benefits for people who do not floss or are sporadic flossers like me. If you are a habitual flosser now, you are probably already getting a better cleaning than this gadget will give you.

I'm giving it 3 stars because I think it performed well, but not as well as advertised.

I add another review after I've been using it a while longer. My next Dentist cleaning is still about 4 months off, so that will be a good test to see how my cleaning goes after using it for a while. I'll be sure to report back. Read more ›