Interdental cleaning

The combined use of tooth brushing, and mechanical and manual interdental cleaning devices has been proven to reduce the prevalence of caries and periodontal diseases.

[1][3] Results of a high level of evidence meta-analysis recently found that floss may not be the most effective method for interdental cleaning, contrary to common belief at the time.

Interdental brushes commonly consist of either a central metal wire core with soft nylon filaments twisted around, or an elastomer, and are available in various sizes to correspond to different spaces between teeth.

Certain factors such as material, geometry and size of the brush can be chosen to optimize the efficiency and effectiveness: Oral Irrigators (also called water flossers) are common mechanical tools used for interdental cleaning.

Although there is a long history of use dating back to 1.8 million years ago,[8] dentists generally discourage their use due to danger of causing mechanical damage to gum, enamel, and tooth roots.