KEEPING THE SPACES BETWEEN YOUR TEETH CLEAN

Daily Flushing

According to mouthhealthy.org, you should clean in between your teeth at least once every day. You can floss in the morning, midday, or evening - whichever time works for you. For example, you can floss in the evening if you don't have time in the morning or floss during the day if you get too tired to do it at night.

You maximize the benefits of daily flossing if you do it right. For example, you should use adequate floss length every time and clean all surfaces between the teeth. Remember not to snap the floss into your gums to avoid tissue irritation.

Flossing requires more skill than brushing. Thus, older children who can otherwise brush on their own (say, ten-year-olds) might struggle with flossing. Those children also need clean interdental spaces, so you should help them floss.

Using the Right Hygiene Instruments

The traditional string floss is one of the best instruments for cleaning spaces between your teeth, but it is not the only one. Below are some tools that serve the same purpose.

An interdental brush can be round or cone-shaped. The brush has a thin wire with attached bristles. The wire attaches to a grip handle for you to hold. The brush is thin enough to go into the spaces between your teeth. The brushes come in different sizes for different teeth gaps. You insert the brush between your teeth and scrub up and down and back and forth to remove plaque.

Interdental Picks

Some people refer to interdental brushes as interdental picks. The dental industry also has wooden picks for plaque removal. You can also use the picks to remove food debris between the teeth. The wooden interdental picks are suitable for people with relatively large spaces between their teeth; those who have smaller spaces should use floss.

Water Floss

Water floss produces a stream of water at high pressure. The water loosens the debris between your teeth and washes them away. Those with dexterity problems may find water floss easier to use than string floss. Also, water, being a liquid, can reach all parts of your teeth, including the smallest gaps.

Orthodontic Treatment

You might struggle to clean your interdental spaces if you have overcrowded teeth. Extreme teeth overcrowding reduces the spaces between your teeth and complicates floss use. Overcrowded teeth also tend to trap more debris than evenly spaced teeth. Get orthodontic treatment, such as dental braces, to correct the problem and allow you to more easily clean your teeth.

Regular Professional Cleaning

Daily brushing and flossing can help you remove considerable debris and plaque from your teeth, but they are not enough. Some debris will accumulate and harden on your teeth over time. Once the debris have hardened, you cannot remove them with floss or a toothbrush. Your dentist has the right tools to clean even the hard tartar, which is why you should not skip your regular dental examinations.

The above tips should help you maintain a high level of oral hygiene and avoid most dental problems. Don't forget that oral hygiene is only one way of maintaining healthy teeth. You still need regular dental examinations by the dentist. Contact Desert Dental for regular examinations and cleaning. We can also diagnose and treat any dental problem you might have.