What happens between your teeth can seriously affect your oral and overall health.
You probably brush your teeth twice a day, and that's great. It's an important step to keep them clean and healthy. But what about the areas of your teeth that you can't see?
While a toothbrush can remove plaque from most surfaces, it cannot fully clean the spaces between your teeth, where food particles and plaque accumulate. This is why cleaning between your teeth along with brushing your teeth is so important – it’s the only way to remove plaque from all surfaces of your teeth.
If plaque is left to accumulate, it can cause inflammation, bleeding, dentin sensitivity, and cavities.
Is brushing your teeth twice a day enough?
Unfortunately, no...
Teeth have a total of five surfaces, three of which are visible and easily accessible with a toothbrush, and two of which are not. When you brush your teeth, you are cleaning the outer, inner, and chewing surfaces. But what about the spaces between your teeth?
After eating or drinking, food particles and sugars can remain in your mouth. They are especially common in between your teeth, where they are difficult to remove with a toothbrush. Just because you can't see your interdental spaces doesn't mean they don't need cleaning. In fact, they deserve the same care and attention as the rest of your teeth.
Any food particles stuck between your teeth will contribute to the formation of plaque. Plaque is formed when bacteria and their waste products, food particles and saliva, combine to form a biofilm (a pale yellow sticky coating) that deposits itself on the entire surface of your teeth, especially between your teeth. If plaque is not removed, it will eventually calcify and turn into tartar, a darker and much harder deposit that can only be removed by a professional. Tartar makes it easier for new bacteria and food to attach to the tooth surface, contributing to further plaque formation.
GUM offers a wide range of oral care products, including interdental cleaning products such as: dental floss and interdental brushes, to suit everyone.
If you don't clean between your teeth, you are putting your oral health at risk.