Product Evaluation

HENRY SCHEIN

ACCLEAN Gentle Picks

Clinically proven to remove plaque, the flexible tapered bristles of this dental pick effectively clean interproximal spaces

Dental professionals have heard every excuse in the book from patients who don’t clean between their teeth. While some simply don’t want to do it, others lack the dexterity to floss adequately. Nonetheless, interdental cleaning is a crucial step in a patient’s daily oral healthcare routine, and clinicians will often encourage patients to use whatever method works for them. “Patients need alternatives to flossing,” Dr. Kenneth Siva told DPS. From traditional floss to dental picks, pre-threaded flossers to interdental brushes, and from air to water flossers, patients should have no problem finding an interproximal cleaning method that works for them.

Henry Schein recently introduced another interproximal cleaning option with their ACCLEAN Gentle Picks. Clinically proven to remove plaque, the small picks feature a flat plastic handle for easy maneuverability, and a flexible tip with tapered bristles gently cleans between teeth while stimulating and massaging gums. Dr. Siva was one of several clinicians who tested ACCLEAN Gentle Picks for this DPS evaluation. “The picks perform well and are easy to use. They are good for patients who refuse to floss and may even be better in some areas of the mouth,” he noted, especially for cleaning around posterior implants. “It gives another alternative to flossing; there is a definite need for a product like this.”

Ease of Use and Maneuverability

Calling ACCLEAN Gentle Picks “ideal for patients who need an interproximal cleaning aid but refuse to use floss,” hygienist Kimberly McClure said they’re excellent for tight spaces. “They offer a reasonable way to break up the biofilm and remove plaque interproximally and supra gingivally.” Although the picks work great in the anterior and bicuspid areas, she noted it was slightly harder to access the posterior areas.

Dr. Edward Rosenthal used the picks himself after meals and said, “They are fantastic, easy to use, and the flexible tip works very well, although the tip could be a little sturdier.” Antony Desantis, DDS, called them “very effective at accessing under bridge pontics and large interproximal areas.” Hygienist Jori McClure said they’re easy to use in bigger interproximal spaces, under bridges, and around brackets, especially since the picks can bend in those areas, and Jen Collins said the picks were easier for elderly patients to manipulate.

Hygienist Amber Metro-Sanchez described how the picks helped a patient who was flossing daily but still had a lot of calculus buildup on his lower anterior teeth. “He had a wide embrasure due to papillary loss, and I knew that floss wasn’t doing the trick,” she explained. He used the picks at home, and when she called to check on him, “he said he loved the picks and his teeth were looking and feeling great!” Instead of automatically giving floss to each patient, Metro- Sanchez now custom tailors her home care recommendations for each patient and says she “has made ACCLEAN Gentle Picks a part of that.”

Design and Comfort

The picks offer a greater chance of patient compliance compared to floss, according to Jennifer Colburn, RDH, who said, “The picks helped clean interdentally in a comfortable manner because they are bendable and made of flexible material.” Metro-Sanchez felt that the picks reach more areas than floss and remarked, “I love how gentle it is on the gum tissue.”

While Dr. Kevin Anderson felt the device was too large for some patients, Kim Williams listed the small size as her favorite feature. Collins said the picks are durable and that she “loved the skinny pick on the handle.”

Dr. Karen-Lee Jones Stewart suggested a little sturdier handle, and Dr. Desantis recommended adding some curve to the pick. Kimberly McClure summarized, “[ACCLEAN Gentle Picks are] a great size, durable for use throughout the mouth, easy to grip, and easy to dispose.”

Cleaning Ability and Portability

“The picks are great for removing lettuce and other foods that stick to your teeth,” noted Lieberman. Dr. Anderson said they work well for large open areas where floss cannot completely remove debris, and Dr. Jones Stewart called them “a quick adjunct to flossing.” Dr. Desantis revealed, “[The picks] clean thoroughly and are stiff enough to access areas that traditional methods may miss.” After using them to remove food from around her own brackets, Jori McClure said, “Hopefully patients will come back with healthier gums from using these.”

For convenience and portability, ACCLEAN Gentle Picks come in small packs of 5 picks each. “It’s easy to carry in a pocket or purse and can remove plaque effectively from interproximal areas whenever needed.” said Metro-Sanchez.

"The picks helped clean interdentally in a comfortable manner because they are bendable and made of flexible material."

-Jennifer Colburn, RDH; Jonesboro, AR

Overall Satisfaction

“This product was just as effective as other similar big name brand products,” Metro-Sanchez said. Collins said the picks were “equivalent or better than name brands” adding, “I love Schein house brands!”

Takeaways

•Flexible and tapered bristles clean interproximal spaces while stimulating and massaging gums

•Clinically proven to remove plaque

•Portable, discreet packaging – 5 picks per pack

•Easy to access buccal corridor, bridges, orthodontics, and large interproximal areas

•A cost-effective option to interproximal cleaning