Find the right interdental brush size

A short guide to finding the correct size

It’s important to clean all five sides of your teeth as part of your daily oral hygiene routine. Oral disease often starts between the teeth, where your toothbrush can’t reach. An interdental brush has proven to be the top-of-the line product for removing plaque (the bacterial biofilm that form on your teeth).

One size doesn’t fit all

TePe has nine colour coded sizes, ranging from pink to black. But how do you know which size to use? It’s great if your dental professional can guide you to the perfect-for-you-sizes and also give you their best tips on practical interdental cleaning, but for those of you trying on your own, here’s a short guide.

Guide – how to find the right size

• Look in the mirror and insert the brush between your teeth, close to the gums. Start with the smallest size and work your way up until you feel the brush bristles engage the tooth surface and the gum tissue. The brush should have a snug fit but the wire, although plastic coated, shouldn’t touch the sides of the teeth or the gums. Never force the brush into a space.
• Once inserted, move the interdental brush to its full length back and forth about 2-3 times. Make sure to clean all your spaces once a day.
• You are likely to need two-three different sizes, or the combination of one-two brushes and floss – it all depends on your spaces which normally vary throughout your mouth.
• If you haven’t cleaned between your teeth in a while, your gums can feel sore and bleed when you start cleaning. Don’t stop – bleeding is a sign of inflammation caused by plaque, so it’s important to keep cleaning every day.