INTERDENTAL CLEANING

Brushing alone only cleans 65% of your teeth surfaces so it is crucial to clean in between your teeth daily. There are different methods and devices that can enable you to do so. Some tools that can help you clean in between your teeth are floss, miniature floss wands (pictured below), larger hand held wands, soft pics, proxabrushes and Waterpik water flosser. Below is summary of each mechanism and how to use each to the best potential.

Flossing when done properly is likely the most efficient way to clean in between your teeth. First ensure you take an arms length of floss. Wrap most of the floss on your middle finger and as you are cleaning each separate area use a clean section of floss. When you are finished most of your floss should be wound your opposite middle finger. Using your index finger or thumb (for those tight areas) gently see saw until you pass the tight part that your two teeth touch also known as the contact. At this point wrap your floss around the curvature of your tooth or “hug” the tooth and change your see saw motion to up and down and floss below the gumline. Discard floss when finished. If you cannot floss due to large hands or dexterity problems a floss wand maybe helpful. Super easy to use, hold wand and gently guide floss in between your teeth and try to maintain the up and down method once you get past the contact. There are larger hand held wands on the market, these however need to be strung with floss before use. Soft pics are a great tool if you have tight contacts. Super small, one time use and very easy to use. Just take one and guide it in between your teeth below contact and go back and forth. Proxabrushes are similar but a bit larger than soft pics. They are shaped like a cylinder or tapered like a Christmas tree. Again you use them like a soft pic. The most important thing you need to know is DO NOT force soft pic or proxabrush into an area that it does not fit as the bristles could break off and get lodged beneath the gum line. Lastly if these are not up your alley Waterpik has a Water flosser on the market. This essentially sprays water in between your teeth removing plaque and debris. Make sure you read the manual and start using the Water flosser on a low speed level until you have mastered the technique. The only draw back of the Water flosser is it can be a bit messy until you get used to it.

In summary it is crucial to clean in between your teeth daily because brushing alone does not. If you are not cleaning in between your teeth you will likely get tartar build up which can lead to bleeding gums. Another reason to floss or clean in between your teeth is fresh breath! That’s right odours linger in between your teeth and can lead to bad breath. There are many different alternatives to flossing if you cannot floss. Floss wands, Soft pics, proxabrushes and Water flossers are available at most Drug stores.