Interdental cleaning or cleaning between the teeth is extremely important, these areas are particularly vulnerable to food and plaque stagnation, and if not effectively cleaned can lead to tooth decay, halitosis (bad breath) and periodontal problems. You wouldn’t only clean the front surfaces of your teeth so why leave out the two side surfaces? Tooth brushing alone will not clean effectively between your teeth.
There are several methods and products available to clean interdentally, the most common being;
- Floss or tape (and superfloss)
- Interdental brushes such as Tepes
- Woodsticks
- Waterjet
It is advisable to get instructions and demonstrations on the use of these products from your dentist, therapist or hygienist before using them as if they’re used incorrectly can cause more harm than good. These dental care professionals will advise you on which method to use in particular areas of your mouth, depending on which restorations you have, how large or small your interdental spaces are, and what you find easiest to use.
Interdental cleaning is a way of removing food debris and plaque from between your teeth. If interdental cleaning becomes part of your oral hygiene routine, for example at night time, this will help hugely to reduce the amount of calculus that builds up between teeth and thus will result in less time being spent in the therapist or hygienists surgery.
Most dental care professionals will advise you to clean interdentally before brushing your teeth, this way the debris you remove from between your teeth will not sit in your mouth festering as it will be brushed away with your toothbrush, however if you prefer to brush first and then clean interdentally it is entirely up to you, the important thing is that you do clean between your teeth.
If you’re not convinced that interdental cleaning is that important, try flossing an area of your mouth where you know food gets trapped or stagnates and then smell the floss, it may sound disgusting but it was what convinced me to start making it part of my oral hygiene routine, it smells like rotting food because that is exactly what you’re removing when you clean interdentally.
