Since I’ve been a dental hygienist I’ve had lots and lots of patients tell me that I’ve inspired them to floss their teeth daily.
However, this is not always the case. There are still lots of patients that I cannot convince and they will even say things to me like that “I’m never going to floss. Just save your breath”.
This is super discouraging to hear. You were trying to motivate someone to improve their dental health and they are flat-out shooting you down. However, I am no longer discouraged in cases like this when patients do not want to floss their teeth. Because there are other options, other than flossing, for patients to clean in between their teeth. One of these options to traditional string flossing is these little brushes!
Also known as proxy brushes or interdental brushesor interproximal brushes. Even sometimes they can be described as little Christmas trees in between your teeth or little pipe cleaners for in between your teeth. I’m at the point where I’ve been practicing long enough finally to really get to know my patients. The reason I wanted to write this article is that I’ve been seeing truly excellent results with patients that have been using these brushes.
First, let’s talk about research. I would not be making this article if that research weren’t there. But it is these brushes clean in between your teeth and they may be as effective (if not more effective than traditional string floss at plaque removal and reducing bleeding) as suggested by a number of studies if you are using the correct technique and using the correct size for in between your teeth.
The hardest part is finding the right size for your teeth. But once you do, it’s the easiest thing ever. It’s truly an effective alternative to traditional string floss. Here are our recommendations for you to choose Meyarn Interdental Brush.
0.6 mm: Extremely tight spaces
0.7 mm: Tight spaces
0.8 mm: Moderate spaces
1.0 mm: Wide space and orthodontic people
1.2 mm: People with a missing tooth or orthodontic issues
I personally love recommending these to patients who do not floss and will not floss. Patients who do floss but still get lots of buildups due to manual dexterity issues or laziness. Patients who have large gaps in between their teeth and the floss cannot touch both teeth. And lastly patient to be proactive and ahead of the game.
I floss every single night with traditional string floss. I’m floss obsessed and I’m a good flosser. However, is my flossing the most perfect ultimate c-shape rapping and hugging the tooth method every single night? Possibly not. Of course, I’m all about preventing plaque from turning into tartar buildup and after researching about these little guys, I’ve been both flossing and proxy brushing every single night for the past couple of months. I’ve been feeling good about myself.
These little bristles are like actual brushes that are going in between your teeth. You can see that obviously using these little bristles is not missing any of the embrasure parts of your tooth like a normal piece of floss if you’re not using it properly. They are safe to use in between your teeth and they are also safe to use around crowns, bridges, implants, and any kind of orthodontic appliances braces。
How to use?
When you are trying to find the correct size for your teeth, what you want to do is find the largest brush that can get in between your teeth without the wire touching your teeth. You want the brush to be snug and make sure it goes all the way through. If it’s only poking and it doesn’t go all the way through, then try another size. If you’re not a perfect flosser or you just can’t adapt around your teeth properly with regular floss where you have manual dexterity issues, this thing can help you. It’s gonna do some good work!
Some brushes are reusable and some are one-time use. We prefer the reusable ones because they are more environmentally friendly. Proxy brushes from Meyarn are reusable and one single brush can last 1 or 2 weeks, which depends on the frequency of use.
Pro Tip: if you plan on bending them to get to hard-to-reach areas, please make sure you bend them at the rubber part instead of at the wire part.
More people are willing to commit to using these interdental brushes than regular floss and as a dental hygienist I’ve seen the improvements and I’m proud so for those of you who are like me flossing works for you. Whatever you end up choosing floss, proxy brushes, or both, just remember to use something to clean in between your teeth. Remember you are missing about 40% of your tooth when you are not cleaning in between your teeth. That’s a big percentage!
