15. Oral Hygeine Practices : Interdental Devices

Question 1

How can we do interdental cleaning?

Answer 1

• Interdental brushes
• interdental silicone sticks
• floss
• flossettes
• super floss
• tape
• single-tiffed brushes
• oral irrigators (water, liquid or air-based)

Question 2

Is flossing a waste of time?

Answer 2

Answer 3

Question 4

INTERDENTAL BRUSHES

• What they do?
• shape?
• why are they good to use?

Answer 4

Question 5

What are root concavities?

Is floss or interdental brushes better at cleaning concavities

Answer 5

Due to periodontitis, once you get recession between teeth, you start exposing root surfaces and anatomy is usually concave in these region

2
- unlikely to engage those areas with floss but can be don with interdental brushes

• Interdental brushes V recommended particularly in patients who have periodontitis

Question 6

Types of interdental brushes

Answer 6

Question 7

Areas of use

Answer 7

Question 8

Can you use toothpaste on interdentalbrushes?

Answer 8

No, don’t put toothpaste as may cause abrasion

(Contains abrasive agents, may be engaging subgingivally, hence accessing cementum and root dentine which is less mineralised than enamel hence increased chance of wearing those tissues out of toothpaste is applied)

Question 9

How to use interdental brushes (what to tell patient)?

Answer 9

• inserted just above papilla
  (Brush is going just above the triangle part of the gum
  inserted in gum 4-5 times in each space and go backwards and forwards)

(Separated video on details of how to use)

Question 10

How often do interdental brush needs to be changed?

Answer 10

• Depends on how often used
  -Depends on how many areas cleaned
• may patients require different sizes (patients with periodontitis usually need a wider variety of sizes)
  -should generally last a week or if bristles start to
  Spray or fall apart

-

Answer 11

Question 12

How do you know you have the right size brush?

Answer 12

• want a snug fit with some resistance but not too much
• need regular review to make sure continually effective in case need different size

Question 13

Alternative to interdental brushes?
(Pros/cons)

Answer 13

-recommended instead of pink + orange

Question 14

Interdental brush & stick videos

Answer 14

Interdental brush and stick videos
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LC7YKwJEqQ
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j878D21GX-A

Question 15

Why is flossing recommended?

Answer 15

Advice where space is, too tight for interdental brushes

Question 16

Disadvantages/ difficulties of flossing

Answer 16

Question 17

Types of floss?

Answer 17

• not much difference in effectiveness, more down to personal preference

Question 18

Flossing technique

Answer 18

Question 19

1
Why’re Single tufted brushes used?

2
How to use?

Answer 19

Question 20

Oral irrigators (water, liquid or air based)

1
Evidence?

2
What they do?

3
Does it remove plaque?

Answer 20

Question 21

When should interdental cleaning be done?

Answer 21

• Once a day
• before brushing so fluoride can access these areas