May 31, 2021 - minute readminutes read

How to Choose Your Interdental

Everyone’s oral health needs are different. However, we all need to clean between our teeth.

Choosing the interdental that’s right for you can help you remove more plaque and achieve better oral health.

Wearing braces, tight teeth, sensitive teeth…? You need an interdental which is suited to your specific needs. Choosing the right interdental tool from such a large range can be difficult. This page can help you figure out what features to look out for so you can find the best interdental for you.

Cleaning between your teeth is important for your oral health. We recommend a combination of toothbrushing and interdental cleaning to remove as much plaque as possible. You can use a single interdental or a combination of interdental brushes, picks and floss. Rubber picks are particularly easy to use, so a great option if you’re a beginner. The most important thing is to choose an interdental that is comfortable so that you clean every day! Check out our summary table below to help you choose the interdental that’s right for you.

We all have different size interdental spaces. Finding the right size brush or pick is mostly trial and error. The head should fit comfortably but snuggly between your teeth, that’s how you’ll remove the most plaque. Never force the interdental in, go down a size instead. Depending on your interdental spaces, you may need more than one size. All of our interdentals come in multiple sizes. GUM® SOFT-PICKS® exist in 3 sizes and easily slide in all interdental spaces. GUM TRAV-LER® is available in 10 different sizes and GUM BI-DIRECTION in 3 sizes.

If you have very tight teeth, removing plaque might be more of a challenge. Using soft rubber picks or floss is probably your best bet. GUM SOFT-PICKS PRO feature super soft rubber bristles that easily and gently slide between all interdental spaces. Make sure you choose the smallest size available to fit your needs.

If you experience some pain or bleeding when cleaning between your teeth, you need to improve your oral care routine. Your mouth isn’t necessarily unhealthy, you just need to remove the plaque that is irritating your gums. Make sure you clean between your teeth daily with a gentle interdental tool. We recommend using GUM SOFT-PICKS PRO which are gentle and safe for sensitive gums. However, if the bleeding is heavy and/or persists you should consider making an appointment with your oral health practitioner.

Since many people find it harder to access their back teeth, plaque tends to build up more easily there. This is why it is very important that you clean between your back teeth as well. You might find it easier with the GUM BI-DIRECTION interdental brush. It has a clever rotating design that enables it to snap into two different positions to help you clean different areas of your mouth.

If you experience a bad smell and/or taste when using interdentals, you may have food stuck between your teeth. Cleaning more regularly and thoroughly should help with this and bad breath. We recommend using the GUM TRAV-LER interdental brush which is scientifically proven to remove up to 25% more plaque thanks to its triangular bristle design. A persistent bad smell and/or taste, however, could be an indication of a different problem. In this case you should make an appointment with your oral care practitioner.

Many orthodontic appliances can make it more difficult to clean between your teeth. There are interdental cleaners designed to easily fit around orthodontic appliances. GUM SOFT-PICKS PRO feature a modern curved design allowing them to clean around wires and brackets effectively. GUM TRAV-LER
has a bendable neck and is available in 10 different sizes so you can easily insert it under wires and clean more surfaces efficiently.

When wearing bridges, crowns or implants, reaching all areas properly can be difficult, but these shouldn’t be neglected if you want to protect your oral health. Using the right tools can help you clean all areas thoroughly. GUM SOFT-PICKS PRO feature a modern curved design and super soft rubber bristles to clean effectively under and around crowns, bridges, implants as well as wide interdental spaces. GUM TRAV-LER is also a good option as it features a bendable neck and comes in 10 different sizes.