Inter-dental cleaning

There are many inter-dental cleaning tools such as dental floss and inter-dental brushes that can help you clean between your teeth and under your gum line. Some of these are described here.

· Dental floss is a thin thread that may be waxed or unwaxed. Some types have a mint flavouring that make flossing more pleasant.

· Dental tape is like floss but flat and wider. You use it in the same way you use dental floss – some people find it a little easier.

· Wood sticks can also be used to clean between your teeth and massage your gums to stimulate blood flow.

· Inter-dental brushes are another alternative if you find flossing a problem.

Your dentist may be able to recommend other products to help you keep your gums healthy. Ask your dentist or dental hygienist to show you the correct way to use them as otherwise you may damage your gums.

Dental floss is a thread that you can use to clean the food particles lodged between your teeth. The basis technique is:

· take a length of the floss (amount 45cm) and wrap it round the middle finger of each hand.

· keep about 5cm of floss between your fingers and gently rock it down between your teeth.

· pull the floss tight, slide it up and down against your tooth surface and under your gum line.

· repeat this action for both sides of all your teeth making sure that you use a clean length of floss for each one.

Billions of bacteria are found in a clean mouth, so when not cleaned, the quantity increases tenfold and forms clusters, making dental plaque more difficult to remove as it matures, and forming a harder substance called calculus, which then has to be removed professionally by a dentist for dental hygienist.

Nutritional and botanical therapies have demonstrated positive effects for people with gingivitis, gingival bleeding, periodontal pocketing and periodontal attachment and bone loss.

People with periodonitis have diets that are deficient in many essential nutrients, including calcium, thiamine, vitamin A, riboflavin, niacin folic acid, zinc and magnesium, when compared to the Recommended Daily Allowances for these nutrients.