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General product information only, not medical or dental advice. For questions about your own teeth or gums, ask a dental professional.
Short answer
An interdental pick is a small handheld tool used to clean between teeth. The term covers several different products, and the one US federal rule that uses the word “pick” describes something narrower: a rigid, pointed device for massaging the gums, which FDA lists as Class I and exempt from premarket notification. Whether a given product fits that rule depends on how it is designed and labeled.
Definition and scope
“Interdental pick” is a trade and consumer term, not a defined regulatory category. In practice it is used for at least three different things, and a supply or labeling review should check which one is meant:
- Rubber or soft-bristle cleaning picks. The manufacturer GUM (Sunstar) describes its Soft-Picks as single-use dental picks with soft rubber bristles.
- Rigid, pointed massaging picks. This is the device FDA identifies in 21 CFR 872.6650, “Massaging pick or tip for oral hygiene.”
- Floss picks and wooden picks. These are different products again; floss formats are covered in dental floss types.
Wire-stem interdental brushes are a separate group, covered in interdental brushes. This page does not repeat that material.
How it is used in practice
Interdental picks are handheld tools. The FDA regulation for the massaging pick describes a device “intended to be used manually.” The manufacturer GUM (Sunstar), whose page is promotional rather than neutral, describes its Soft-Picks as single-use dental picks and notes that its interdental products come in multiple sizes. Instructions for use come with each product and individual technique is a matter for a dental professional, so it is not covered here.
Types and related concepts
The table compares only what one manufacturer states about its own two product lines. It is a labeling comparison, not a performance comparison.
| Item | Single use or reusable (per manufacturer) | Sizes (per manufacturer) |
|---|---|---|
| GUM Soft-Picks (dental picks) | Described as single-use | Five sizes |
| GUM Proxabrush (interdental brushes) | Described as allowing more than one use | Four sizes |
Source: GUM (Sunstar), How to choose your interdental, checked 2026-10-31. These are one brand’s statements and do not describe other makers’ products.
Where it matters for labs, clinics and supply decisions
The regulatory record gives a reviewer something concrete to check against a product listing:
| Item | What the FDA source states |
|---|---|
| Name and regulation | “Massaging pick or tip for oral hygiene,” 21 CFR 872.6650; FDA product code JET, “Pick, Massaging” |
| Identification | A rigid, pointed device intended to be used manually to stimulate and massage the gums to promote good periodontal (gum) condition |
| Class | Class I (general controls) |
| Premarket notification | Exempt from 510(k) (subpart E of part 807), subject to the limitations in 21 CFR 872.9 |
| Quality system | If not labeled or otherwise represented as sterile, exempt from the quality management system requirements of part 820 except records and complaint files under 820.35 |
Sources: 21 CFR 872.6650 and the FDA product classification record for product code JET, both checked 2026-10-31.
A checklist that follows only from the sources above:
- Which product is it? Check whether the listing describes a rigid massaging pick, a soft-bristle cleaning pick, or a floss or brush product, since the regulation describes only the first.
- Single-use or reusable. Check whether the labeling says the product is single-use or can be used more than once.
- Size range. Check which sizes the product offers; the manufacturer source above says its interdental products come in multiple sizes.
- Sterile labeling. A product labeled or represented as sterile loses the quality-system exemption described above.
The regulation describes the massaging pick; other cleaner formats may be classified differently, and this page does not state how any specific cleaning pick is classified.
Common misunderstandings
- “Pick” means one product. It does not; see the three uses above.
- Class I means no rules. Class I devices remain subject to general controls; the exemptions in 872.6650 are specific and limited.
- A toothpick, a floss pick and an interdental pick are the same. They are different formats, and a toothbrush is a separate category again (see manual toothbrush).
FAQ
Is an interdental pick the same as an interdental brush?
No. The manufacturer source above treats them as separate lines: picks are described as single-use with soft rubber bristles, and the brush line as allowing more than one use with replaceable heads. See interdental brushes for the brush group.
Are interdental picks reusable?
It depends on the product’s labeling. GUM describes its Soft-Picks as single-use and its Proxabrush brushes as allowing more than one use. Follow the instructions for use on the product you have.
How does FDA classify a dental pick?
A rigid, pointed massaging pick (product code JET) is Class I and exempt from 510(k) under 21 CFR 872.6650. The regulation does not address every pick-shaped product, so check the product’s own labeling and FDA record.
Do interdental picks come in different sizes?
Manufacturer GUM states that its Soft-Picks come in five sizes and its Proxabrush interdental brushes in four. Size ranges vary by product, so check the labeling of the product in question.
Sources
- eCFR, 21 CFR 872.6650 Massaging pick or tip for oral hygiene, checked 2026-10-31.
- FDA, Product classification, product code JET (“Pick, Massaging”), checked 2026-10-31.
- GUM (Sunstar), How to choose your interdental (manufacturer page), checked 2026-10-31.
