Interdental cleaning: the secret behind a truly healthy smile

When thinking about maintaining oral health, brushing your teeth should be a priority. Brushing your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste is the cornerstone of a healthy smile, but there’s one simple supplement that can make a difference in your oral health—and that’s cleaning between your teeth.

While brushing is the most effective way to keep teeth clean, it only reaches 60% of tooth surfaces. Using interdental brushes to clean the space between your teeth is one of the easiest and most important things you can do to improve the health of your smile.

Why is interdental cleaning so important?

Plaque can build up between teeth that a toothbrush can’t reach.

Over time, this can lead to tooth decay, gingivitis, and bad breath. To prevent this from happening, it’s a good idea to use an interdental brush as part of your daily cleaning routine.

An interdental toothbrush is a small toothbrush designed to clean between your teeth, where a regular toothbrush can’t reach. Daily use of an interdental brush, in addition to regular brushing, is an easy and effective way to maintain the freshness and health of gums and teeth.

We recommend that you clean your teeth every day to keep your mouth fresh and healthy.

When you first start cleaning between your teeth, your gums may be a little sore and may bleed, but they won’t stop, as bleeding gums are often a sign of gingivitis. If you do not notice improvement within a few days, contact your dentist in Mississauga.

Choose the right size

Interdental brushes come in different sizes and it can be difficult to know which one is best for your mouth.

To get the best recommendation, ask a dental professional for a recommendation. In the meantime, here are some tips to get you started….

Look in the mirror and place the toothbrush between the teeth and near the gums. Start with the smallest size and continue until the bristles touch the surface of the teeth and gum tissue.

The brush should be firm, but the wire, although plastic-coated, should not touch the sides of the teeth or gums. Never force the brush into the space.

After inserting, move the interdental brush back and forth about 2-3 times along its full length. Make sure to clean all the spaces between the teeth once a day.

You’ll probably need two to three different sizes, or a combination of one or two toothbrushes and flosses—it all depends on the space between the teeth, which usually varies throughout the mouth.

How to use interdental brushes

To get the most out of interdental cleaning, the technique is correct. The good news is that interdental brushes are relatively easy to use. Once mastered, this is a healthy habit that will last a lifetime. Gently place the toothbrush between the teeth. Do not force the brush into the space. Press it gently or choose a smaller size. If you use a small interdental brush, you can slightly bend the soft brush. By increasing finger pressure, it becomes easier to reach between the back teeth or try a long-handled interdental brush When using larger-sized interdental brushes, if you bend the wire slightly, access between the back teeth is improved Do not straighten or bend the toothbrush at another angle, the interdental brush will last longer.