Gum toothpick brushes
Interdental brushes use a small bristled wire or flexible core to clean plaque from spaces a toothbrush cannot reach.
The short answer
Interdental brushes can clean plaque from open spaces between teeth and around braces or bridges when the brush fits without force or tissue injury.
What does an interdental brush look like and contain?
The brush has a small cylindrical or tapered set of bristles around a wire or flexible core. It cleans the side surfaces of adjacent teeth and the gum space between them, unlike a toothpick that mainly dislodges food and may cut the gum.
How can you choose and use the right brush size?
Choose the smallest size that fills the space while passing gently, and guide it along the tooth surfaces rather than snapping it through. Use a new brush when the wire bends or bristles wear, and ask for sizing help if spaces vary across your mouth.
When do bleeding or food-trapping gaps need dental advice?
Seek advice for recurrent bleeding, painful gaps, pus, gum recession, or food trapping that does not improve. A clinician can check for calculus, cavities between teeth, gum pockets, or a restoration that needs adjustment.
What should you ask about brushes, floss, and cleaning aids?
Ask which spaces need an interdental brush and which need floss or another aid. Ask what diameter fits each area, whether a wire could contact an implant or appliance, and how to clean around bridges or braces.
Frequently asked questions
Should an interdental brush make my gums bleed?
Bleeding may reflect inflammation, but forcing the brush can injure tissue. Use a suitable size and seek assessment if bleeding continues.
Can I use these brushes with braces?
They can clean around brackets and under wires when used with suitable technique and access, often alongside a regular toothbrush.
Who wrote this page
This library is published by Dental Nation, a licensed dental group practising in the United Arab Emirates. Pages are written and overseen by the same clinical team that treats patients in our clinics, and are held to a fixed editorial standard for safety and accuracy.
This page is patient education, not medical advice, and cannot replace an examination. Anything urgent — facial swelling, trauma, uncontrolled bleeding or severe pain — needs a dentist or emergency care now.