I went to see my dentist last week, and it was then I realised that I hadn’t been for over 2 years. 2 years! I used to be fairly regular before this, doing the twice-yearly check-ups as recommended, for oral health. But a lot happened in the past 2 years, and truth to tell, going to the dentist just didn’t feature on my schedule.
The only reason I thought of going, was because my teeth felt weird, which is reason enough! Fortunately, none of my teeth were going to fall out, and my teeth were professionally cleaned, as they should have been months ago!
So, my PSA today, is to tell you that if you have not seen your dentist for teeth cleaning and a check up recently, DO IT! Don’t wait! Make your appointment NOW!
I also wanted to share with you my latest dental discovery – interdental brushes!
While I was given a clean bill of dental health, my dentist did identify some potential issues that could arise in the future. So, he recommended that I use an interdental brush, instead of dental floss for healthier teeth and gums. We all know we should floss, but I don’t know about you, I’m a lazy bum when it comes to flossing. Oops 😛
So, after my appointment, I ran off to the nearest pharmacy and picked up a pack of interdental brushes, and then went home to do a little research on this little gadget that I was unfamiliar with 🙂
What is an interdental brush?
Interdental brushes are these really tiny little brushes that come in varying sizes. They are usually sold in packs of multiple pieces and there are many different brands out there. I bought one by Japanese brand, Dentalpro, because it happened to be on sale. If you know of other brands that could be better, feel free to let me know! 😀
These little brushes are inserted into the space between your teeth (hence, “inter”dental) to clean the parts that your normal toothbrush may not be able to reach.
Why use an interdental brush instead of dental floss?
I don’t know really. I’m not a dental expert! 😛 But based on my research, interdental brushes are apparently able to clean the space between teeth better, as the bristles expand in the cavity to cover a wider area. A piece of floss is just a thin thread which can be useful in tight spaces, but which is less useful if you have wider gaps between your teeth, or aren’t getting the space between your teeth clean enough. That said, it seems that interdental brushes work better if you have wider gaps between your teeth and dental floss works better if your teeth are close together, so pick either one, but be sure to clean between your teeth!
From a personal viewpoint, I find that compared to dental floss, using an interdental brush is more practical, dislodges food particles more effectively, and keeps my teeth feeling cleaner. Also, because I keep it on my bathroom sink, I can use it immediately after brushing my teeth, as part of my routine. Granted I could do the same with floss, but I just never quite got the hang of it.
For this reason, I find that using an interdental brush is a more practical option and solution for me to keep my teeth and gums healthy. I have found that since I started using them, I experience less gum bleeds while brushing my teeth. That is always a good thing!
How to use an interdental brush?
I got my dentist to show me how to use one, and I suggest you do the same. It is quite simple, but having someone show you how is always clearer. Gently insert the brush in the gap between the teeth (at the gum area), and pull it back and forth in a brushing motion. This helps dislodge food particles, and cleans the space between your teeth that your regular brushing may not have reached.
Note: Be sure to wash and rinse your interdental brush as you move from one space to another. It’s just hygienic.
Personally speaking, I’ve found that the interdental brush helps me be more invested in my dental hygiene, and it also helps me keep to a better dental routine. I’ve always been rather lax about using dental floss. But this brush, because it follows on from my regular tooth brushing, just seems more natural to me, and in my case, seems to dislodge particles more easily and cleanly.
If you’d like to read a little more about it, here are some articles I read and came across while in the course of my research. You can read a couple of them here and here, and read the case against interdental brushes here (I understand the concerns about injuring the gum, hence the need for gentle use of the brush).
Ultimately, the take away from this post is this – Please see your dentist, if you have not done so in a least 6 months and if you are curious about interdental brushes, ask your dentist about them, and whether you should use them. Don’t just blindly follow everything you read on the internet LOL! 😀
Do you use an interdental brush?
I personally find the brush to better serve my dental needs. You may not. But whichever you pick, see your dentist regularly! It’ll save you money in the long run 🙂
Paris B
Hi Paris! I was thinking to make an appointment for scaling recently because I spotted some stain at the gap of my teeth and also the inner side of my teeth. I was kinda shock as this situation never happened on me before! (I am neither a smoker or a coffee-lover).
However, I went to the dentist last year and after the scaling done, my teeth were sensitive. I am still considering whether to do the scaling again after 1 year.
Just one question about the interdental brush: How if the gaps between my teeth are really small? I don’t think the brush can glide thru the gaps.
They are really useful and comes in different sizes. Consult your dentist on which size fits u the best. Hope this helps
Hi Hui Min, not an expert on this, but I do recommend going to see the dentist at least once a year, just to be sure everything is ship shape. I do find that sometimes, the dentist makes a difference, so if you’re not comfortable with your current one, see if you can go to another? Also, if your gaps between the teeth are very small, you probably won’t need interdental brushes if you floss 🙂 I have a really tight gap between 2 of my teeth that I can’t fit a brush into, so I just floss that section 🙂
Those brushes look like what people with braces normally use but I might be wrong as I never get braces lol. How long did it take for you to see the difference since you started using these brushes?
I tried to do mouth wash then brush then floss and lastly, mouth wash every night but when you are sleepy, it’s much easier to just brush teeth. Which is why I like take my shower last thing of the day as the shower refreshs and energizes myself enough to do longer routine haha.
I wish someone invented a high pressure water hose to clean teeth safely like how people clean those dirty, mossy walls with high pressure water hose haha.
Hi, dentist here (and long time lurker). There are actually devices like the AirFloss or waterpik that work exactly the way you described. They produce little bursts of air or water to clean between teeth. The advantage is that it’s easy to use. But the downside is that the devices aren’t cheap, and don’t reach as good as floss or an interdental brush. Worth considering if you can’t seem to get the hang of flossing or can’t be bothered. If you invest that amount of money buying the device, you’re more likely make good use of it 😉
Thanks for delurking to chip in! And you’re a dentist! I hope I wasn’t talking nonsense haha 😀
Yes, apparently those who wear braces would be familiar with these brushes as they use them to brush between the wires. I never wore braces either LOL! I noticed a difference in about a week. Less to no bleeding when I brush, which impressed me. I don’t use mouth wash because I don’t believe in the commercial ones LOL But I sometimes do a salt water rinse. Dentist told me that’s fine 🙂 And as someone else has said, yes those water pressure hoses for teeth exist! But they are expensive 😀
I recommend using the interdental brush or the floss before brushing your teeth, not after (that way, the fluoride reaches all of the interdental spaces).
That’s a good point Maja! I’ll try switching it around 🙂
I am so glad for kids…..they are such useful little things to have! Now that I have had them for 16 plus years, they remind me every six months or so to take them to the dentist! This interdental brush sounds like something I need, cos as I am older, things in the oral department is certainly needing more attention. Thanks for sharing……worth a little investigation!
Hahaha first time I’m hearing that kids are useful things to have around 😉 Oh speaking of getting older, I mentioned to my dentist that my teeth seem to be shifting. I’ve never worn braces but had decently aligned teeth so I noticed when they were moving. He told me it was actually normal as you get older. Sigh… one more thing to go awry as you age! But do check with your dentist about the interdental brush thing. I’ve found it useful and told my whole family about it so now they’re using it too! And I never quite noticed how many options there are out there – even at Daiso!
Hi! The interdental brush are really practical and easy, but! they don’t clean the point where teeth are in contact. My periodontist pointed this out to me.
Oh that’s a very good point Amalia! I guess I’d still have to try and floss now and then! 😀
I’ve been using them for a couple of years. I use the smallest size, because the gaps in my teeth are really small, and still the brush gets stuck between my teeth, so I have to pull harder at the brush to get it out, which feels like I’m gonna pull my teeth out. So I’m not a fan of them.
The plastick toothpick on the other hand works like a charm, and removes particles the dental floss doesn’t, BUT my dentist told me that plastic coming in contact with our gums is a bad idea, the gums may recede because of it. Shame about that. The brush is made out of metal, I don’t feel happy brushing my gums with metal.
I have found a dental floss that is thicker, its more like a thin band than a thread, and works well inbetween my teeth, but I can’t floss the teeth at the back, as my fingers don’t fit all the way to the back of my mouth.
Yikes, I read that you aren’t supposed to force the brush into the gap, as it can damage the gum, so I guess you really didn’t need these interdental brushes 😀 I guess you’d have to work with a combination of products to see which works better for you. As long as your teeth are healthy, that’s what’s important 🙂 Thanks for sharing your experience Mjane 🙂
Have always loved trips to the dentist…….yeahhh i KNOWWWW…weird right..?
Well, its how I was introduced to the dentist.
Back in the day… 🙂 a long long time ago…the school will pack off a bunch of us in a van for visits to the dentist (located at Cahaya suria) and we will stay there till we were all done. That means, no class.
So I have always associated going to the dentist to fun times; fun in the van, fun waiting around-never mind if I had my gums injected and molars extracted. I also thought it was cool that a particular molar was stubborn and the dentist had a time trying to pull it out , she was the eventual victor, but that molar gave a good fight. For skipping class, fun in the van, heroic episodes with molars…The blood was worth it!
Fast forward into adulthood, dentist trips twice a year remained fun, i cannot recall a particularly horrific experience. My dentist is the type that heap on the praises and that sort of encouraged me.
I experimented with the interdental brush out of curiosity a few years ago. I’d like to think this is one reason for the praises from my dentist. I find the brush a lot more expensive than the floss, so i scaled down the use some. I have my boxes of floss all over though; at the office, in my carry bag, at home, in my travel bag, so the brush stays home and used in conjunction with bathroom dental ritual.
I wish I’d discovered the interdental brush sooner! Maybe I would have, had I not forsaken the dentist trips the past 2 years. I don’t hate the dentist either actually. Growing up, I used to go to the government dental clinic to have my milk teeth extracted and man, that was sometimes quite traumatic. But still don’t hate dental visits. I do tend to forget though! 😛