CLEANING BETWEEN YOUR TEETH

Plaque is a thin, sticky film of bacteria that constantly forms on your teeth. The plaque reacts with food, turning sugar into acid, which then dissolves the enamel on your teeth.

When you eat foods containing sugars and starches, the bacteria in plaque produce acids, which attack tooth enamel. The stickiness of the plaque keeps these acids in contact with teeth. After this happens many times, the tooth enamel breaks down forming a hole or cavity.

Plaque can harden into something called calculus another name for it is ‘tartar’. As calculus forms near the gumline, the plaque underneath releases poisons causing the gums to become irritated and inflamed. The gums begin to pull away from the teeth and the gaps become infected. If gum disease is not treated promptly, the bone supporting the teeth is destroyed and healthy teeth may be lost. Gum disease is the biggest cause of tooth loss in adults and can lead to dentures, bridges or implants.

It is important to remove plaque and food debris from around your teeth, as this will stop your gums from swelling and becoming infected. If you leave plaque on your teeth it can develop into tartar, which can only be removed by the dentist or hygienist. It is important to keep up your regular appointments so that your teeth can have a thorough cleaning if they need it.

Gum disease (gingivitis) will show itself as red, swollen gums that bleed when brushed or flossed. Many people are alarmed when they notice this bleeding and will then brush more gently, if at all. It is important that you continue to clean regularly and firmly in order to fight the condition.

One way to clean between your teeth is with dental floss or tape. Flossing removes plaque and food particles from between your teeth and under the gumline, areas a toothbrush can’t reach. Your dentist or hygienist can show you proper flossing techniques.

The following suggestions may help:

Break off about 18 inches of floss, and wind most of it around one of your middle fingers. Wind the remaining floss around the same finger of the other hand. As you use the floss, you will take up the used section with this finger.

Hold the floss tightly between your thumb and forefingers, with about an inch of floss between them, leaving no slack. Use a gentle ‘rocking’ motion to guide the floss between your teeth. Do not jerk the floss or snap the floss into the gums.

When the floss reaches the gumline, curve it into a C-shape against one tooth until you feel resistance.

Hold the floss against the tooth. Gently scrape the side of the tooth, moving the floss away from the gum. Repeat on the other side of the gap, along the side of the next tooth.

Don’t forget the back of your last tooth.

When flossing, keep to a regular pattern. Start at the top and work from left to right, then move to the bottom and again work from the left to right. This way you’re less likely to miss any teeth.

It is also very important to clean around the edges of any crowns, bridges or implants. This can be difficult to do effectively using traditional floss and there are now specialist flosses to do the job thoroughly (such as super floss and specialist floss threaders). Ask your dentist or hygienist on how to use these properly and which method you should use.

Your gums may bleed or be sore for the first five or six days that you floss. This should stop once the plaque is broken up and the bacteria has gone. If the bleeding does not stop, tell your dentist. It may be that you are not flossing correctly or your teeth and gums need a more thorough clean by your dentist or hygienist.

If you have trouble using floss you can use a floss holder or an interdental cleaning aid. Interdental cleaning aids include woodsticks or small interdental brushes used to remove plaque from between the teeth. Your dentist or hygienist can explain how to use these properly.

It is a small brush that can be held between your thumb and your fingers. Interdental brushes are available in various sizes which enables you to choose which size is most suitable for you. You may need to use more than one size to enable you to effectively clean all spaces between your teeth.

Over the course of a day, food and debris get lodged in between your teeth, and in any gaps you may have. If left, this debris can cause dental decay and gum disease. Removing food debris with an interdental brush will help keep your breath fresh. Cleaning in between your teeth makes sure that you are cleaning your mouth as thoroughly as possible.

No. These small brushes should be used as part of your normal oral hygiene routine to be effective.

You will know that there are certain places in your mouth that are difficult to reach with your normal brush. There are also some gaps between your teeth that your toothbrush will not be able to access.

With its small bristles and tiny bottle type head the brush can be moved between the teeth to remove debris and plaque that will not have been removed by your usual toothbrush.

Select a suitable sized interdental brush. Never force the brush between the teeth. Between front teeth, use a finer brush, a twisting movement eases the brush comfortably between the teeth. Remove the brush by gently pulling thereby removing plaque and debris. Repeat the twisting motion to re-insert and pull out several times until you are satisfied the space is clean. For larger spaces nearer the back of the mouth, a larger headed brush should be selected. To be as effective as possible, shape the head into a “banana” curve. You will then be able to easily locate and clean the space effectively. Rinsing the brush enables you to use the brush again.

You don’t need to be in the bathroom to be able to clean interdentally. You don’t even need to do it at the same as you brush your teeth. You could be anywhere.