Small Habits, Big Impact: Why Cleaning Between Your Teeth Matters for Your Health

Brushing alone only cleans about 60% of tooth surfaces. The remaining 40% — the tight spaces between teeth — often go untouched. This is where plaque builds up, cavities start, and gum disease begins, which in turn has ripple effects across the entire body.

Research shows gum disease is linked to more than 50 systemic conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, adverse pregnancy outcomes, depression, and even certain cancers.

Why Interdental Cleaning Is Critical

“Cleaning in-between remains one of the hardest things for patients to do – yet it is one of the most important,” says Dirna Grobbelaar, Oral Hygiene Advisor at Ivohealth.

Plaque is soft when new but quickly matures into a sticky biofilm that is much harder to remove. A daily 30–60 second interdental routine can make the difference between a healthy mouth and long-term complications.

Tools to Make It Easier

The right interdental tool depends on your teeth, lifestyle, and comfort level:

• Tight gaps: GUM Expanding Floss – thin on insertion, expands for thorough cleaning.
• Limited dexterity: GUM Bi-Direction interdental brush – long handle, bendable head.
• Braces, bridges, implants: GUM Ortho/Access Floss or Trav-Ler brushes.
• Food traps: GUM Soft-Picks or interdental brushes for easy plaque removal.

Unsure where to start? Your oral hygienist can advise, or try the quick online guide: Find Your GUM Match.

The Science Behind the Habit

• Brushing misses 30–40% of tooth surfaces, leaving interdental areas vulnerable.
• Only 1 in 3 South Africans clean between teeth daily, and many use incorrect techniques.
• Flossing and interdental brushing reduce tooth loss risk, proven in a 5-year Japanese study (Nakao et al., 2024).
• Gum disease is linked to systemic health, including cardiovascular disease and cognitive decline.
• Oral–mental health connection: Lower microbiome diversity has been associated with increased risk of depression (Zheng et al., 2025).
• Global impact: Oral diseases affect 3.5 billion people, making gum disease the world’s second most common oral condition after cavities.

Takeaway for Oral Health Month

Cleaning between your teeth is a small habit with a big health impact. It’s not just about a brighter smile, but about reducing risks that extend well beyond the mouth.

For a healthier mouth and body:

• Brush twice daily
• Clean between teeth every day
• Visit your oral hygienist for personalised advice

Find your perfect interdental tool and take the first step this Oral Health Month toward lifelong oral — and whole-body — health.