Hand held oral irrigator

A hand held oral irrigation device for irrigating an oral cavity with a fluid, the device comprising:

• a reservoir for storing the fluid;
• a body;
• and
• an elongated nozzle;
• wherein
• the reservoir comprises:
• a shelf portion defined about a bottom portion of the reservoir;
• and
• a base at a bottom end of the reservoir;
• a reservoir inlet conduit positioned along the base of the reservoir so that fluid is drawn from the bottom of the reservoir;
• a fluid access valve fluidly coupling with said inlet conduit, the fluid access valve comprising:
• a channel defined within the reservoir extending from the shelf to the base, said channel receiving said inlet conduit and fluidly coupled thereto;
• a seal positioned about a top end of the channel;
• a spring extending upwardly from the base within the reservoir;
• and
• a ball positioned within the channel between said seal and said spring;
• wherein the reservoir defines a first major diameter at a lower end of the oral irrigation device and the body and reservoir combine to define a second major diameter at an upper end of the oral irrigation device, the first major diameter being larger than the second major diameter.