If you like to keep up with your oral hygiene, you probably know that apart from brushing, there are many ways to keep the areas between your teeth free of food. Cleaning out the spaces in between your teeth is an important part of your daily cleaning regimen, but you may also know that there are a variety of ways you can do so. Flossing is the common complement to brushing, but there are also toothpicks and water picks. When you should use them depends on your situation, but it's rare that one method will be so effective that it negates the need for the other two.
Toothpicks
For the best effect, you should only use toothpicks when absolutely necessary, such as if you are away from home and have no other option. Toothpicks are best suited for removing large pieces of food from between your teeth, and not usually meant to be used as a daily cleaner. This is because toothpicks are large and sharp, and can damage your teeth -- especially if you have crowns, bonding or veneers -- and gums.
Toothpicks are useful for keeping your teeth free of large bits of food throughout the day, and it's nice to have a few on hand if you are going to be out for most of the day, but they should not replace flossing.
Water Picks
Water picks use powerful bursts of small amounts of water to clean your teeth. Because they use pressurized water coming from a jet, water picks have a greater reach than floss and can effectively clean both your teeth and the areas between them. Water picks are also more effective than flossing at removing plaque, because of their greater coverage.
However, while water picks are a useful complement to brushing and flossing -- and can improve oral health for those with bad brushing habits -- it is not always as effective as floss at removing food from between your teeth. The reason is because there is not always enough friction between the water and the inside of your teeth, which is why string flossing is still important.
Floss
Floss is one of the most effective oral hygiene tools. Its small size and lack of points makes it easy to reach in between most of your teeth without serious risk of any damage or injury. It is not as effective as toothpicks at removing large pieces of food, but it's a good complement to brushing. Its small size also means that it won't have much reach, but as its primary function is to clean between your teeth, this is usually okay.
It is better to floss immediately before brushing instead of after; this is because cleaning out the spaces between your teeth before you brush allows your toothpaste to get in between your teeth, which is extremely helpful towards avoiding tooth decay and gum disease. You should also make flossing a standard part of your cleaning routine to keep your gums strong and minimize bleeding.
Talk to a dental clinic like Family Dental Center TriCities, PC for more tips about what situations warrant different types of oral health care.
Share18 April 2015
Halloween is a holiday that my children love, and telling them they can't go door-to-door collecting candy would break their hearts. This led me to allowing them to collect candy on the holiday, then rationing it out to them every day instead of letting them gobble it up in just a few days. I always thought this was better for them, but my dentist told me this could be the reason why their February dental check-ups were always their worst ones. Daily candy consumption was taking a toll on their teeth. I started a new tradition of letting them indulge for two days, then giving them the option to swap the rest with me in exchange for a new toy. They never pass on the opportunity for a new toy. I created this blog to encourage other parents find similar tactics to keep their children's teeth healthy after Halloween.