Twice a day for two minutes.
It’s what all oral health professionals advise when it comes to brushing our teeth.
Even if you commit to this routine religiously, every day and night, studies have shown that this alone doesn’t clean the mouth sufficiently, and you’re still at risk of plaque and tartar build-up, dental decay and gum disease.
Yes, cleaning the front and back surfaces of the teeth is crucial, but getting in between is just as important, and there are several tools – including dental floss, picks and interdental brushes – you can use to do this.
But what is interdental cleaning? How do you do it, and why is it so important? Our experts at Ravenscourt Dental Practice explore this and more below!
What is interdental cleaning?
Put simply, interdental cleaning – more commonly referred to as flossing – is the act of cleaning in between your teeth.
Brushing removes all the visible plaque and debris from the surfaces of your teeth, but of course, your toothbrush can’t reach all the small spaces in between, so using tools like traditional dental floss, floss picks or interdental brushes helps remove the build-up from these areas.
Why is interdental cleaning so important?
As we mentioned above, the goal of interdental cleaning is to disrupt the formation of bacteria, plaque and tartar between the teeth.
Flossing regularly to remove this build-up has many benefits for our oral and overall health, including:
It helps prevent gum disease
Poor oral health is the biggest contributor to gum disease.
If you don’t remove plaque from between the teeth and around the gumline, it will accumulate quickly and harden into tartar, which is much harder to get rid of.
This can only be removed by a professional, and if left untreated, can cause gingivitis, AKA, the earliest stage of gum disease, by irritating the gums and inflaming them over time.
The longer you ignore tartar and the associated symptoms, the more likely your gingivitis will develop into more advanced periodontitis, which can, eventually, cause damage to the jawbone and teeth to fall out – along with a host of other problems.
So, flossing regularly will help keep your teeth and gums healthy and free of gum disease.
It reduces cavities
Neglecting your flossing duties can cause cavities to form in your teeth.
As we’ve talked about, when plaque isn’t removed by interdental cleaning, it can build up between the teeth.
Plaque is a sticky film of bacteria, that’s fuelled by carbohydrates in food.
This bacteria then eats away at your enamel, breaking down the tooth’s surface and leaving holes behind.
If you’ve ever had a cavity, you’ll know how painful they can be, and if you suspect you have one you should see your dentist right away so they can provide treatment, before it develops into something worse, like a root canal infection.
Of course, you can avoid this altogether by taking proper care of your teeth and making sure to keep up with daily interdental cleaning.
It improves bad breath
Not only does flooring remove plaque buildup from between the teeth, but it also gets rid of any food particles and other debris from the day.
By eliminating this food debris, and the bacteria that aid it, flossing – combined with brushing your teeth as normal and brushing your tongue, cheeks, the roof of your mouth and using an anti-bacterial mouthwash – your breath will remain fresh.
For advice on how to clean your tongue properly, or any other oral health guidance, be sure to contact your dentist.
How do you clean between your teeth?
Now we’ve covered what interdental cleaning is and why it’s a crucial step in your oral healthcare routine, let’s run through how to do it effectively.
How you floss your teeth depends on the tool you’re using:
- Traditional dental floss – Start with around 18 inches of floss, holding it tautly between your thumbs and index fingers, and slide it gently up and down between your teeth, using clean sections for each tooth. Make sure to curve the floss gently around the base of each tooth ensuring that you get below the gumline.
- Floss picks – When using floss picks, place the pick between two teeth and press gently against your gums, using an in-and-out motion to remove plaque and food debris and curve the floss around the tooth in a C-shape to ensure nothing is left behind. Rinse the floss pick as needed to keep it clean.
- Interdental brushes – There are several different sizes of interdental brushes – from 0.5mm to 1.5mm – so make sure you choose an appropriate size that fits comfortably between your teeth. When using them, push the brush gently between your teeth until you reach the other side, before using a back-and-forth motion to loosen up plaque and food debris.
Need expert oral health advice?
Whether you’re looking for expert tips on how to look after your oral hygiene at home, or you’re in need of professional teeth cleaning inLondon to remove stubborn plaque and tartar, we're here for you.
At Ravenscourt Dental Practice, we’ve been offering top-quality holistic dental treatments for many years, and are dedicated to helping our patients achieve total harmony between their oral, physical and mental well-being.
To find out more about how we can help, or to book a consultation with our dentists, give us a call today on 020 8748 4023 or email us at [emailprotected] and we’ll be in touch to answer your questions or arrange an appointment!