Interproximal cleaning is necessary because a toothbrush cannot effectively reach nearly half of the tooth’s surface area. Removing plaque and food debris from these tight spaces is essential for preventing gum disease and cavities. While traditional string floss is the standard, the market offers specialized tools designed to accommodate different oral needs and user preferences. These alternatives ensure that individuals who struggle with traditional flossing or have unique dental work can still achieve a thorough interdental clean.
Interdental Cleaning Tools
Interdental brushes and picks offer a direct mechanical scrubbing action, utilizing bristles or textured surfaces to scrape away plaque and debris. This offers a distinct advantage over the thin scraping action of string floss. Effectiveness relies heavily on selecting the correct size to fill the space snugly without forcing the wire.
The brush size must allow the bristles to engage the tooth surface and gum tissue, ensuring the central wire does not contact the teeth. Because gaps vary throughout the mouth, a person may need multiple brush sizes (e.g., smaller for front teeth, larger for molars). These brushes are particularly useful for cleaning around dental implants, bridges, and orthodontic appliances like braces.
Pre-threaded floss picks consist of a small handle holding a segment of floss, addressing issues of dexterity and access. The handle design makes it significantly easier to reach posterior teeth, which are often difficult to clean with string floss. Floss picks are available in single-thread designs for tight contacts and dual-thread designs for wider spaces.
Specialized soft picks, made from rubber or plastic, provide a gentle, textured surface for cleaning. These flexible tools slide easily between teeth, offering a comfortable scrubbing action that also massages the gum tissue. Soft picks are useful for individuals with sensitive gums and are often compact, making them convenient for use away from home.
Powered Water and Air Irrigation Devices
Water flossers, or oral irrigators, use a non-contact method to clean interdental spaces by delivering a pressurized, pulsating stream of water. This mechanism uses kinetic energy to dislodge debris and disrupt plaque, typically operating between 50 and 90 pounds per square inch (psi). The pulsating action is highly effective at flushing out bacteria from gum pockets and around dental work.
These devices are especially beneficial for people with orthodontic appliances or dental implants, as the water jet cleans areas inaccessible to mechanical tools. Water flossers can also deliver antimicrobial solutions directly into the periodontal sulcus (the space between the tooth and the gum). Relying on force and continuous flow, they are advantageous for individuals with limited manual dexterity.
Air flossers utilize micro-droplet technology, representing a different form of powered cleaning. Instead of a steady stream, these devices release quick bursts of air mixed with small amounts of water or mouthwash. The rapid propulsion cleans the interdental space without the continuous flow required by oral irrigators. This method is often favored as a less messy alternative to high-volume water flossers.
Emergency Alternatives and Safety Warnings
When proper tools are unavailable, some people resort to common household items to dislodge food stuck between their teeth. However, using any object not specifically designed for interdental cleaning poses a significant risk to oral health. Survey data indicates improvised substitutes include:
- Fingernails
- Folded paper
- Cutlery
- Strands of hair
- Paper clips
Hard metal items like paper clips or safety pins can scratch or chip tooth enamel and damage the gum line. Using thread or string can leave behind fibrous residue or break apart, becoming lodged between the teeth and gathering plaque. Furthermore, non-sterile items like fingernails or hair harbor bacteria, introducing pathogens and increasing the risk of infection.
The rough or sharp edges of improvised tools can cause trauma to the delicate gum tissue, leading to cuts, bleeding, and irritation. Forcing an object into a tight space may also push debris or plaque deeper into the gum line, exacerbating the problem. If a proper interdental cleaner is unavailable, a safer alternative is to vigorously rinse the mouth with water or wait until a purpose-made tool can be used.