The health of teeth and gums, a matter of hygiene

Regular and effective oral hygiene is a crucial factor in preventing oral diseases such as tooth decay, gingivitis and periodontitis, and helps keep the entire body healthy, improving the quality of life and relationships. For ideal oral hygiene, based on the correct removal of bacterial plaque from the surfaces of teeth and gums, it is not enough to use only a toothbrush and toothpaste; in fact, the additional help of an interdental tool is essential, which is effective in cleaning the areas between one tooth and the next, which are difficult to reach with a toothbrush. In fact, due to its conformation, the interdental space can easily become a "niche" for bacterial plaque, a determining factor in the onset of gingival inflammation and caries. But how many people know and use the interdental tool? A recent prevalence study conducted in America, using data from the National System of Medical Statistics and Population Health (NHANES) for 2011-2014, revealed, in a sample of 8356 people aged 30 and over, the trend of use of the interdental tool in daily oral hygiene. The results showed that 31.6% of the population examined use an interdental tool daily, 36.6% use it occasionally (a couple of days within a week) and 31.9% have never used an interdental tool. It was also interesting to note that if analyzed by age, people over 45 seem to be more motivated to use the interdental tool than the group under 45, and that women perform interdental oral hygiene more often than men. A further difference emerged in this study concerns smokers, who seem to be less sensitive to the use of the interdental tool than non-smokers. (2) More recently, a 2020 study by JT Marchesan demonstrated how interdental oral hygiene guarantees long-term benefits as, regular use of the interdental tool prevents the appearance of caries, hinders the progression of periodontal disease and reduces the risk of losing teeth over the years. (3) What interdental tools do we have available? The best known is certainly the dental floss, which is widely used in cases where the interdental space is rather narrow and does not allow the passage of other instruments. More effective than dental floss according to the scientific literature, is the interdental brush (or interdental brush), able to remove 32% more plaque than the toothbrush alone and to reduce gum inflammation by 52%. Composed of nylon bristles wrapped around a thin metal core, the interdental brushes can have a conical or cylindrical shape and a variable diameter, adaptable to different interdental spaces. Due to their ability to clean the center of the interdental space and up to 2.5mm below the gum, they are the tool of choice for the interdental hygiene of patients with periodontitis, in which the interdental space is generally wider and the tooth surface to be cleanse wider. There is little evidence to support the use of wooden sticks (toothpicks) or the water jet as effective tools in interdental hygiene. But what do patients think of interdental tools? The feedback reported in various scientific studies generally show a preference in the use of the interdental brush, recognizing it to be easier to use than dental floss which instead requires greater manual experience. This is why in choosing the most suitable interdental instrument, it is advisable to rely on the guidance of professionals such as Odont