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Dental Tribune Middle East & Africa Edition | 3/2016 13 oraL HEaLtH Daily cleaning between your teeth matters ByJordan Effective removal of interproximal plaque is not achieved by a tooth- brush alone. Dentists recommend that you floss daily, but very few people do this on a regular basis. In- terdental brushes can be an attrac- tive alternative to flossing and are a proven effective tool for reducing interproximal plaque. There are a number of different factors that need to be considered when choos- ing the right interdental brush, for example size, shape, the user’s man- ual dexterity and motivational level. The smallest size is best for those users who have healthy gums and small interproximal spaces. This is generally a good alternative for first time users. Daily use of an interden- tal brush gives results, especially in comparisontosimplybrushing. Studies show that most of us (up to 90%) will experience some form of mild gum disease (gingivi- tis). Early symptoms of gum disease can be detected by inflamed gum tissue. This is caused by the bacteria indentalplaque.Ifthebacteriaisnot brushed away, it may form tartar and can eventually result in a cavity. As many as 30% of cavities are be- tween our teeth. Statistics show that the population is aging and grow- ing, and many of these people are keeping their own teeth. The good news is that gingivitis is reversible and preventable with daily brushing and cleaning between your teeth. A toothhasfivesurfacesthatyouneed to clean thoroughly in order to get the best cleaning results. An interna- tional study, showed that brushing with an interdental brush removes more plaque than brushing with a toothbrush alone. The study showed a positive significant difference us- inganinterdentalbrushwithrespect to plaque scores, bleeding scores and probing pocket depth. The ma- jority of the studies also showed a positive significant difference in the plaque index scores when using an interdentalbrushcomparedtousing dentalfloss. Motivation is a key element in succeeding with making interproxi- malcleaningpartofthedaily“brush- ing”session.Studieshavefoundthat the ease of use of a product does affect one's motivation. The major- ity of the test study individuals pre- ferred using interdental brushes to floss. They found them simpler to handle,usingonlyonehand,andfelt that interdental brushes were more timeefficient. The advice is to look for an inter- dental brush that has a sturdy but compact handle so that the users get a good and comfortable grip. Shorter handles give the user more control as the position of the thumb/finger grip is closer to the point of contact. A non-slip grip also helps controlled movement. It is important that the user is able to navigate easily in the mouth, reaching the back molars. Wefound thehighestusageofinter- dental brushes among consumers between the ages of 40-49. 6 out of 10 of these use interdental brushes onaverage3-7timesaweek. References 1.Statistics,Norway2011 2. Comparison between manual and mechanical methods of interproxi- mal hygiene. Schmage P, Platzer U, Nergiz I. Quintessence International Volume30,Number8,1999 3. A Comparison of the Efficacy and Ease of Use of Dental Floss and Inter- proximal Brushes in a Randomised Split Mouth Trial Incorporating an Assessment of Subgingival Plaque. Noorlin I, Watts TL. Oral Health Prev Dent2007;5:13-18. 4.ADA.org 5.Statistics,Norway2011 6.Seefootnote2 7. The efficacy of interdental brushes on plaque and parameters of peri- odontal inflammation: a systematic review. Slot DE, Van der Weijden FA. Department of Periodontology, Academic Centre for Dentistry Am- sterdam (ACTA), Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Dörfer CE. Clinic for Conservative Dentistry and Peri- odontology, Christian-Albrechts- Universität, Kiel, Germany Int J Dent Hygiene6,2008;253–264. 8. Study: (5)Perceptor Quantitiative survey,Sweden,2014 9.Statistics,Norway2011 10. Chronic Diseases and Health Pro- motion. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 13 Aug. 2012. Web. 15 Sept.2013. Cleanic® The one step Prophy Paste PATENTED PERLITE TECHNOLOGY Featuring integrated abrasion variability A NEW tantalizing taste for an outstanding prophy result Berry Burst with fluoride prevention.KerrDental.eu ALL IN ONE Universal prophy paste guarantees outstanding results SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN Maximum cleaning & polishing with low abrasion of enamel and dentine TIME SAVING From cleaning to polishing in one step Dental Tribune Middle East & Africa Edition | 3/201613