Cleaning between the teeth is one of the oldest dental habits we know of, and one of the least popular today. The tools have improved beyond recognition; the enthusiasm has not. It is a curious combination, and the history behind it is more interesting than the task itself.
The Ancient Version
Archaeologists examining ancient teeth have found grooves on the surfaces between them, consistent with the repeated use of something thin and firm, most likely a fibre, twig or piece of bone. Prehistoric skulls from several regions show these marks, which suggests the impulse to dislodge trapped food is about as old as cooked food itself.
The physical record is patchy, because thread, fibre and wood rarely survive the centuries, but written sources show that people cared. Bad breath was taken seriously in many ancient societies, and one ancient legal text even allowed a husband to divorce a wife over persistent bad breath, though not the reverse.
Chew sticks, made from fibrous twigs frayed at one end, appear across many cultures and served as both brush and pick. Some were made from plants with genuine antibacterial properties, which was more good fortune than design.
Silk and the Nineteenth Century
The recognisable ancestor of modern floss appeared in the early 1800s, when New Orleans dentist Levi Spear Parmly recommended running a waxed silk thread between the teeth. Commercial silk floss followed later that century, sold by the yard.
Silk had obvious drawbacks. It frayed, it was expensive, and supply depended entirely on imports. It remained a niche habit, used mostly by those who could afford the dentist recommending it.
Nylon and the Post-War Household
The arrival of nylon in the 1940s changed everything. It was cheap, consistent, shred-resistant and could be waxed or unwaxed, thick or thin. Floss moved into ordinary bathroom cabinets alongside the mass-produced toothbrush.
The decades that followed brought floss picks, tape, flavoured varieties and superfloss for bridges and braces. The basic idea, though, remained the one from the 1800s: pass something thin between two teeth and rub the surfaces clean.
The Modern Alternatives
Two developments have genuinely moved things forward.
Interdental brushes are small, sized brushes that clean the spaces between teeth. Where there is any gap at all, they typically remove more plaque than floss, and most people find them easier to use, which matters more than any theoretical advantage.
Water flossers direct a pulsed stream of water between teeth and below the gum line. They are particularly useful around bridges, dental implants, braces and for anyone with limited dexterity.
Both have a real evidence base. Neither replaces brushing.
What the Evidence Actually Says
In 2016, headlines claimed that flossing had been shown not to work. What the reviews actually found was that studies on flossing have often been small, short and poorly controlled, which makes it hard to demonstrate a large effect statistically. Absence of strong evidence is not evidence of absence.
What is well established is that plaque left undisturbed causes gum inflammation, that a toothbrush does not reach the surfaces between teeth, and that decay and gum disease commonly begin in exactly those places. Cleaning between teeth by some method remains sound advice, and the method matters less than doing it consistently. Dental associations in Australia and internationally continue to recommend daily cleaning between the teeth.
Interdental brushes have the stronger evidence base where spaces allow them. Floss remains the option where contacts are tight.
What Has Not Changed
For all the innovation, the fundamentals are unchanged since silk:
- The surfaces between teeth need cleaning daily
- A gentle technique that hugs each tooth beats brute force
- Bleeding when you start usually settles within a week or two of consistent cleaning
- Once plaque hardens into tartar, only a professional check-up and clean will remove it
Nor has the consequence of skipping it changed. Decay between teeth still needs a white filling, and untreated gum inflammation still progresses towards gum and periodontal treatment in susceptible people.
Building the Habit Early
Children who grow up cleaning between their teeth rarely find it a chore later. Start as soon as two teeth touch, use floss picks or child-sized interdental brushes, and treat it as an ordinary part of the routine. Our children's dentistry visits reinforce this without making it a lecture.
Why It Remains Unpopular
Surveys consistently show that most adults do not clean between their teeth daily, and the reasons are remarkably consistent: it is fiddly, it is easy to forget, and the benefit is invisible.
That last point is the real obstacle. Brushing gives immediate feedback in the form of a clean, fresh mouth. Interdental cleaning prevents something that would have happened silently, which the brain rewards far less.
The practical answer is to make it easier rather than relying on willpower. Use the tool that suits your mouth, keep it where you will see it, and attach it to a habit you already have. People who switch from floss to interdental brushes often go from occasional to daily simply because the task became less awkward.
Ask Us What Suits Your Mouth
Tight contacts, wide spaces, bridges, implants and braces all call for different tools, and the right size makes a substantial difference. Ask at your next appointment and we will show you. Call Precision Dental on (07) 3852 1160 or book online.
