Interdental Brushes versus Dental Floss (2024)

At-home preventative dental supplies are among the most commonly sought dental supplies in Australia, and these can be purchased in pharmacies, supermarkets, and even in some dental clinics.

Did You Know? Brushing alone cleans no more than 60% of your tooth surfaces. This illustrates why cleaning effectively between the teeth as well is so important. Moreover, between the teeth is most vulnerable to plaque and tartar build-up and cavity formation – so making sure you clean between your teeth properly every day is crucial.

How to Clean Between Your Teeth?

As well as thoroughly brushing your teeth (and gums and tongue) twice daily, you also need to clean between your teeth, especially at the gum line. This helps to ensure that all food particles have been removed, as well as any plaque that has started to develop.

The options for achieving this are interdental brushes or dental floss.

Interdental Brushes

(IMAGE SOURCE: https://www.adamdental.com.au/tepe-interdental-brushes-original-8-pk)

These are little tooth-cleaning instruments with tiny, bristled heads. Designed to clean the sides of and between the teeth, they help eliminate plaque and food debris from areas a toothbrush can’t access, and this prevents gum disease.

Interdental brushes come with short or long handles – these help you reach the teeth further back into your mouth. They are also colour-coded to represent different widths/diameters.

How to Use an Interdental Brush

Hold the brush between your thumb and a finger, and gently place it into the gap between two teeth. Don’t force it! If it does not fit, you will need a narrower brush head (or use floss instead). If the brush head bends, it is too large, and a smaller one will be required.

Gently work the brush into the gaps between each tooth. Rinse the bristles between cleaning each tooth.

Most interdental brushes can be used several times before being discarded, as long as they are cleaned and stored properly. It’s time to replace them when the bristles become worn or the wire holding them is twisted or bent.

Dental Floss

(IMAGE SOURCE: https://www.adamdental.com.au/oral-b-floss-waxed-50m-6-pk)

This thin, soft thread is coated in wax and is used to stroke the surface gently but firmly between teeth to remove any food. Dental tape is a thicker version of dental floss.

How to Use Dental Floss

Withdraw and break off approximately 45cm of dental floss. Wind some around each index finger. Hold it taught between the thumbs and index fingers, leaving around 2.5cm of floss between each hand and with no slack. Gently rock the floss to guide it between the teeth, being careful to not injure the gums.

At the gumline, curve the floss against one tooth and stroke the floss away from the gum and against the tooth. Repeat this action on the other tooth and move to the next tooth gap.

Some people prefer to use individual floss holder tools, which can be easier to manoeuvre but are not quite as effective as string floss.

Which is Better?

Both dental floss and interdental brushes (provided the size and technique used is correct) can effectively remove food debris, plaque, and bacteria from between the teeth.

Researchers have found that, in terms of plaque removal, interdental brushes tend to perform better than floss. Floss is, however, important to use as well, to access gaps between teeth that are too tight for interdental brushes.

You do need to select a brush that suits the size of the gaps between your teeth – and you may need more than one size to clean your entire mouth. Your dentist can help you choose the right size.

Interdental brushes:

• Remove food particles and bacteria more effectively.
• Are easier to handle.
• Better for cleaning larger gaps between teeth.
• Great for navigating between fixed orthodontic devices (braces).
• More expensive than floss

Dental Floss:

• More affordable than interdental brushes.
• Can fit into tighter spaces.
• More sustainable (less waste).
• More time-consuming and “fiddly”
• Difficult to use with braces.

Note that it’s not uncommon for the gums to bleed a little and/or become tender when you first start using an interdental brush or floss. Initially, this is quite normal and is a sign that the gums are not healthy. With continued use, the health of your gums should improve, and bleeding and tenderness should stop. Ongoing bleeding or tenderness after a few days needs to be assessed by your dentist and your technique using the interdental brush and/or floss may need improvement.

Conclusion

Cleaning between the teeth daily (ideally, before bed) is important for long-term dental health and oral hygiene. All adults and children from age 12 should be brushing and flossing (and using interdental brushes if desired), as well as maintaining regular visits to the dentist.

Cleaning between the teeth properly will enable you to take better care of your teeth and gums, prevent cavities and bad breath, and minimise your risk of developing gum disease.

Adam Dental Supplies in Australia is a leading distributor of dental supplies nationwide, offering all the dental clinic supplies you need. We also have a variety of dental and associated products for consumer purchase, including preventative dental items.

We have interdental brushes and dental floss products from brands including:

• Curasept
• CareDent
• TePe
• Oral-B
• GC Ruscello
• Reach

Browse our catalogue and shop with us today!