clean between our teeth?

[Nessie]

We should brush our teeth twice a day. We can also use wooden toothpicks to clean between our teeth after a meal
=> I find the phrase "to clean between our teeth" a bit strange, so I checked it on the BNC, but found no result. Please tell me if this usage is right or wrong.
Many thanks
_________________
... something we never have again, I know... I guess I really really know..

Sorry seems to be the hardest word...

[Haihao]

I don't think it's a wrong usage 'cause we do use a toothpick to do the cleaning between our (two) teeth usually.

[Alan]

Hi Nessie,

I agree with Haihao. After all, our teeth are separate things and it's between the teeth that bacteria can hide.

Alan
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story A day in the life of a flat hunter

[Nessie]

Thanks a lot, Alan and Haihao

There's another thing I want to ask Alan: why did you say "our teeth are seperate things" and not "our teeth are seperated things", Alan? What's the difference between the 2 usages?

Many thanks in advance
_________________
... something we never have again, I know... I guess I really really know..

Sorry seems to be the hardest word...

[Molly]

Try searching the BNC with this between * teeth.

[Yankee]

.
Using between * teeth doesn't seem to work very well on the BNC. Of the 50 results I got, only 2 contained both words (48 of 50 contained only the word teeth). In the two two results containing the word between, the meaning was basically "between upper and lower teeth":

- ... who clasped their head-dresses across their faces and between their teeth...
- ... another fag clamped between his teeth...

BNC: between * teeth

[Nessie]

So... what do I do now? I'm starting to get confused... (+_+)

Besides, what about "seperate things" and "seperated things", Alan?

Many thanks in advance...
_________________
... something we never have again, I know... I guess I really really know..

Sorry seems to be the hardest word...

[Nessie]

Sorry but could anybody please give me a clear indication?
Besides, please answer me about that "seperate/ seperated" thing, Alan

Many many thanks
Nessie
_________________
... something we never have again, I know... I guess I really really know..

Sorry seems to be the hardest word...

[Alan]

Hi Nessie,

'Between the teeth' is fine when you mean 'in between' - down one side of one tooth and up the side of another tooth. Stop worrying, please!

Alan
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English as a Foreign Language
You can read my EFL story A funny thing happened...

[Nessie]

Thanks a lot, Alan, and sorry for worrying too much

But how about that difference between "seperate things" and "seperated things"? Do they mean completely the same?
Many thanks
_________________
... something we never have again, I know... I guess I really really know..

Sorry seems to be the hardest word...

[Alan]

Hi Nessie,

The spelling is 'separate' and 'separated'. The first is a simple adjective and the second is also used to describe the noun but it is made from the past participle. Similarly - complete and completed.

Alan
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Have a Break!

[Yankee]