We all know the importance of brushing our teeth at least twice a day and keeping an eye on our oral health, but when it comes to brushing between teeth, many of us tend to be unsure as to what to include as part of our routines. Cleaning those harder to reach or see areas of our mouths is an essential part of maintaining good overall oral health and ensuring that any plaque and leftover food particles have been removed.
No matter how good you think your tooth brushing technique is, your toothbrush can’t reach all areas of your mouth, which means that plaque can quickly buildup within the gaps in your teeth, something that then leaves you vulnerable to issues such as tooth decay and gum disease. Brushing between teeth is a good way to keep some of those harder to reach areas clean and flossing or using interdental brushes are the most effective methods. If you don’t already, then here are some reasons why you should brush between teeth and how to properly use interdental brushes and floss.
A regular toothbrush isn’t designed to clean all areas of your mouth, which is why we need additional tools, such as floss, interdental brushes and mouthwash, to look after our wider oral health. Of course, you can’t fit a regular toothbrush between teeth or properly get into gaps and not paying attention to these areas of your mouth can lead to discolouration and plaque build-up. Brushing between teeth reduces the risk of plaque formation and helps to remove any trapped bits of food which can cause plaque and bad breath.
By using floss or interdental brushes, you can dislodge these bits of food and remove any plaque or debris which may remain after mealtimes. Once you start cleaning and brushing between your teeth, your gums may feel a little sore, or you may notice some light bleeding. This should stop after a few times, but if bleeding persists, then please get in touch with us.
When you clean and brush between teeth, this is something that should either be done prior to brushing your teeth with your normal toothbrush or after brushing and prior to using mouthwash. This means that any debris you remove from your teeth isn’t left behind. Using dental floss is fairly straightforward when it comes to cleaning your teeth. Use a long length of floss and gently pass this backwards and forwards in between your teeth. This should remove any stubborn plaque build-up or food debris.
Using interdental brushes can look a little intimidating at first, but they are really good little tools for getting in between gaps to clean and brush between teeth. They’re also good for metal brace wearers, who find that food gets trapped between the wire and bracket. Interdental brushes come in a variety of different sizes, so you need to find the right one which doesn’t feel uncomfortable whilst using. Our hygienist team will recommend the correct size or sizes of brush (you may need more than one size)
Using interdental brushes to brush between teeth couldn’t be easier. Insert the brush gently into gaps between the teeth and move it backwards and forwards between the teeth, making sure not to use too vigorous movements. Work around the whole of your mouth, cleaning in between each tooth. Like with flossing, after the first few times your gums may feel slightly sensitive or tender, or you may notice some bleeding. This should lessen the more you do it, but if the bleeding persists, please do not hesitate to get in contact with us.
Ensuring that you regularly brush between teeth can vastly improve your overall oral health and leave you with healthier teeth and fresher breath. Using more than one technique is recommended in order to reach different areas of your mouth, however, if you have had bridges or dental implants, then this should be taken into consideration before you start using interdental brushes or floss and should be discussed with your dental hygienist.
Good oral health starts with you and here at Dental Solutions, we have a range of hygienist treatments available, where our dedicated team of dental hygienists can give you advice on gum and oral health. It is not even necessary to be a patient at our dental practice to see one of our hygienists. Get in touch today to arrange your consultation.
