Okay, be honest; the biggest lie that you tell your dentist is regarding flossing. While brushing your teeth twice a day is perfectly manageable, trying to navigate an annoying string between teeth can be downright frustrating. This is why many people actually don’t floss as much as they need to.
Of course, you don’t need to be told yet again what will happen if you don’t floss regularly. Just in case it slipped your mind though, cavities, gingivitis, and gum disease are just a few problems that you may have to deal with. If flossing isn’t up your alley, then you should give interdental cleaners a try. These are small, toothpick-like instruments that make in-between teeth cleaning more fun.
Much like toothpicks, you can find interdental cleaners on almost every corner. This means that you have to be a little more careful with what you use to clean your teeth and gums. Here are the brands that you can actually trust to maintain your oral hygiene:
1. Opalescence – Opalpix Interdental Cleaner
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Why we like it: The Opalpix interdental cleaner is ideal for people wearing braces as the pick is thin enough of to get in between and under the braces.
Oral hygiene when you have to wear braces can be an absolute nightmare. When you add flossing into the mix, it can almost make you want to give up completely. Well, this is where the Opalpix comes in. The tips of these interdental cleaners are thin sticks, which have no problem going in between the links in your braces. So, even if you have food stuck in the most inconvenient places, you will still be able to dislodge it easily.
The tips of the picks are textured. This makes them more efficient at removing plaque that may be stuck in between or on the sides of teeth. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about the plaque turning into tartar due to buildup. While the Opalpix is quite rigid in structure, the material is quite gentle. So, even as you are cleaning between your teeth, your gums are getting a much-needed massage. You get to protect your teeth and stimulate gum health with these picks.
2. Rotadent Rota-Point Interdental Cleaners
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Why we like it: These strong yet gentle Rotadent Rota-Point interdental cleaners help to remove particles from small or tough spaces within your teeth.
One of the advantages of the Rota-Point design is that it is very streamlined. Because of this, you will have no trouble fitting it into even the tiniest of gaps between your teeth. This way, you will be able to get rid even the tiniest of food particles trapped in your teeth, regardless of how small the space is. The picks are made from polypropylene. This means that there is no fear of them snapping off in between your teeth and getting stuck there.
These cleaners are actually quite handy for people wearing braces or with similar dental work. The size of the picks allows them to easily fit under the braces to provide you with a more thorough cleaning. Not only that, since there are no wires, there is no chance of anything getting stuck to your braces. It comes in a handy little case, which makes it easy to take it with you wherever you go. Then after a meal, you can make sure to get rid of any debris in your mouth.
3. The Doctor’s Orapik Traveler Interdental Pick
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Why we like it: The Orapik interdental traveler picks are professional Oral Care On-The-Go. They are also easy to carry with you!
Everybody has different gum issues. Some people need a pick that needs to get in between tiny spaces. Other people have more significant gaps to tackle between their teeth. Well, this is what is so great about these picks; one size covers all! This pick removes plaque & tartar, stimulates gums to reduce bleeding, removes trapped food particles, and fights gingivitis.
You can add your travel picks on your personal key chain with the beaded chain that comes with your kit. Pick has a curved top for plaque removal. Also is BPA-Free. It is imperative to clean OraPik with soap and hot water after each use. We suggest you clean OraPik weekly with alcohol then rinse in warm water. Cover up OraPik when you are not using it. Included in the kit is 2-Count picks per Pack. The Doctor’s Orapik Traveler can help reduce gingivitis as part of a program for good oral hygiene to supplement the regular professional care required for oral health.
4. DenTek Easy Brush Dental Cleaners
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Why we like it: The DenTek dental cleaners offer a full teeth cleaning experience and leave your mouth feeling fresh and free of food debris and germs.
With this cleaner, it is safe to say that DenTek has thought of practically everything. The brand offers up different sized brushes, but this one is for medium-spaced teeth, which is what most people have anyway. The brush has an arrow-like head, which allows it to target the entire space between your teeth and get into those smaller crevices as well. What’s more, the wire is flexible so you can toggle it around to make sure that you clean behind your teeth as well.
This cleaner also has a flexible handle. This way, when the wire is bent in an odd position, the handle supports it instead of causing the brush to break off. You really can get a full cleaning with this interdental cleaner. Each cleaner has a minty taste to it, so once you are done using it, your mouth feels and smells pleasantly fresh. These are the perfect brushes to use after a meal to get rid of any leftovers between your teeth.
5. The Doctor’s Brushpicks
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Why we like it: The Doctor’s Brushpicks have a unique design that allows them to clean between your teeth much more efficiently and get rid of more plaque.
The feature that stands out the most about the Doctor’s Brushpicks is the brush head. It has been designed to make sure that every inch of the space between your teeth is scrubbed properly and thoroughly. You can be quite certain that there will be no food or plaque left behind. It is quite easy to maneuver the brush so that you can reach all of those internal places much better. The shape of the brush makes it suitable for gaps of different sizes.
The brushes, although effective, aren’t harsh. They are actually quite gentle on your gums, massaging them as they pass over them. This stimulates the blood flow to the gums, keeping them healthy. If you are concerned about the risk of gingivitis, these brushes can help you a great deal. This pack contains a lot of brushes that can be easily taken with you wherever you go. You can then clean your teeth whenever needed, helping you stay on top of your oral hygiene.
6. FLIX Interdental Cleaners
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Why we like it: The FLIX interdental cleaners are effective at getting in narrow gaps and completely cleaning them of plaque and food particles.
The FLIX interdental cleaners have a different brush head than most. Instead of the brush, the tip is made from woven mesh floss. This is a really great material for getting in between teeth and scraping off food debris, plaque, and anything else coating the teeth. It also has the added benefit of being a lot gentler on your gums. So you don’t have to worry about damaging them as you floss and clean your interdental spaces. These cleaners are particularly great for people who have braces.
The picks have another weapon up their sleeve – fluoride treatment. This is activated when you place the brush in your mouth. This feature helps to ward off plaque and other dental issues. These are the picks that you should consider using if you want to keep on top of your dental hygiene at all times. This container actually contains a lot of picks, so you can use them on a daily basis and not run out for quite a while.
7. PRO-SYS Interdental Brush
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Why we like it: The PRO-SYS interdental brushes offer professional-grade cleaning for your teeth. They are well designed and are very efficient.
The PRO-SYS is made from quality materials. The wire portion of the head is made from German stainless steel while the fibers are DuPont bristles. This quality assures you two things – first, you can use these brushes multiple times without them bending or breaking. Also, they are excellent at doing their job. The wire moves between each tooth while the bristles scrub the sides of teeth clean. Despite this, the bristles and the wire are very gentle on the gums.
The brush is angled, which makes it easier for you to get to those hard to reach places, especially in the back of your mouth. Because of this, your entire mouth is cleaned equally well, making it difficult for plaque to form or accumulate there. The brush is also well suited for anyone wearing braces and needs a brush that is thin and flexible enough to fit in between the links. To top it all off, these brushes come highly recommended by dentists.
8. GUM Proxabrush
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Why we like it: The Gum Proxabrush combines the ease of brushing your teeth with the inter-gum cleaning power of an interdental cleaner.
Since you have been brushing your teeth for most your life (hopefully, anyway) you are very used to this action. This is why flossing and even using interdental brushes can have a bit of a learning curve. With this GUM Proxabrush, however, cleaning is intuitive. Since it is exactly like holding a toothbrush, you will be a lot more comfortable using it. Not to mention, it makes it easier to position the brush so that you can reach the back of your mouth.
You actually get three different sized brushes with your kit. So, whether you have just one type of gap or several, this brush has got you covered. Not to mention, you can get refills so that you don’t have to let your oral hygiene slide. One of the concerns with using interdental brushes is how do you keep them clean? With these bristles, it is a problem of the past. They have an antibacterial agent that keeps them clean in between uses.
9. Hismith Interdental Brush
Why we like it: The Hismith interdental brush pack is great for gaps of all sizes. It is easy to hold and maneuver around your mouth.
You get two different sets of brushes with this pack. This is perfect for targeting all of the gaps in your teeth. Depending on the size of your teeth, you usually have different sized spaces. With this pack, you can clean them all out with no trouble. Both of the bristles are great with regular teeth but also tackle braces and bridges equally well. It doesn’t matter what your dental problems or obstacles are, these brushes will be able to handle all of them.
In addition to being great for the spaces between your teeth, these brushes can help your gums quite a bit as well. They gently massage your gums as they work. Okay, some of these smaller interdental brushes can be a little fiddly, making it difficult for you to hold them as well as maneuver them. The Hismith brushes have taken care of this, though. It has a textured grip so that your fingers will not slip and you can get a good hold on the handle.