Mini Bottle Brushes for your Teeth! (Molar TePe Interdental Brush)

Member Name: Foxy-Lady

Product:	Molar TePe Interdental Brush
Date:	05/03/08 (523 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Easy to use

Disadvantages: Can cause slight discomfort and bleeding at first

After recently registering with a dentist I was informed that small amounts of bacteria are present in between some of my teeth. You should be flossing daily young lady! I do try to floss (although irregularly as I don't remember to do it every day) but I have problems with some teeth because I find that the gaps are so tight that I can't get the fiddly floss to slide in between. After explaining this to my dentist he suggested that I try some TePe Interdental Brushes to avoid any more unhealthy build up.


~ What is a TePe Interdental Brush? ~

TePe is a Swedish brand of oral hygiene products. The company offer a range of items, including TePe Interdental Brushes which come highly recommended by dentists.

These are simple but very clever devices which have been designed to make cleaning between the teeth much easier...providing a solution to the flossing problem I just mentioned. In the long term, also preventing the development of nasties such as gum disease.

A small plastic handle holds a tiny brush which measures approximately 15mm in length. It's a similar idea to a bottle brush, although in miniature form! A plastic coated wire grasps onto lots of fine filaments which flex when entering the nooks and crannies around the teeth. The bristles are quite soft so they aren't too harsh on the gums. They are available in eight different sizes, each with a colour coded handle to differentiate and correspond with the varying brush widths...for example, pink being the smallest at just 0.4mm and grey the largest with a width of 1.3mm.

Available in packets containing six brushes, a handy travel cap is also included in each pack to slide over the brush, protecting it when not in use. This can be used to extend the length of the brush handle aswell, making it more comfortable to use on the harder to reach back teeth.


~ TePe Interdental Brush Usage ~

Instructions are detailed on the back of each pack but to be honest, it's fairly self-explanatory. The brushes are so easy to use! Simply insert the brush into the space between the teeth, right at gum level. A slight turning technique can help this action greatly, as using too much force can immediately damage the brush. Gently moving the brush back and forth a few times allows the filaments to get to work removing debris and even plaque that your toothbrush may have left behind.

To access the back teeth you can bend and shape the brush ever so slightly to create a curve - this, combined with the handle extender, makes it easier to direct into those hard to reach gaps.

To ensure that the brush remains effective, rinse it during and after use to unclog it and replace completely when the bristles seem to become worn. With daily use followed by your regular brushing with toothpaste, these brushes will without doubt help you to maintain healthy gums.


~ My Experience ~

I'm a bit obsessed with looking after my teeth at the moment as it's taken me about seven years to find a dentist. Now that my pegs are finally being checked by a professional on a regular basis, I want to assist as much as I can and try to maintain the cleanliness between visits to my dental clinic. I therefore bought some TePe Interdental Brushes as soon as my dentist mentioned them but I must admit, I was a bit wary about shoving the brush between my teeth. I was advised to get the orange version which is the second to smallest at 0.45mm in width, but my first impressions were that it still looked rather thick!

Pushing the brush into the spaces between my front teeth was surprisingly easy...and satisfying too as I could see the yucky, stinky stuff being dragged out! Onto the back teeth, which is where I seem to be experiencing the presence of bacteria according to my dentist. Ouch!! Well no, I exaggerate slightly. It was more of a mild, flinching discomfort - similar to a sensitive tooth kind of feeling. Wiggle the brush about a bit and....blood, and lots of it! Forewarned that this would occur I carried on regardless, although it felt wrong somehow. Not to worry though - bleeding shows that there is bacteria there, so all the more reason to persevere and keep up with the brushing, I was told. Again, debris was successfully being swept away so I felt pleased with my few minutes work.

And after three weeks of daily use? I can't believe the difference! I no longer experience any discomfort or sensitivity at all when using the brushes and there isn't any sign of blood either. I haven't been back to my dentist yet to get his comments but I'm sure that these improvements can only mean that my teeth are now thoroughly clean - even in the stubborn areas that you can't actually see.

It may be my imagination but since the use of TePe Interdental Brushes has become part of my oral hygiene routine, my teeth actually look and feel cleaner too.


~ Availability ~

These brushes are available from Dental Practises, Pharmacies and a number of well known supermarkets. They don't all stock every size but for example: four versions can be purchased at Tesco, two at Asda and four at Boots. A full list of stockists can be viewed online.

A pack of six brushes retails at approximately £3 and it is recommended that you replace them weekly. I must admit that I use my own judgement when it comes to swapping them and I make them last a little longer than a week if possible.


~ Conclusion ~

In my opinion TePe Interdental Brushes are an extremely efficient and effective way of cleaning between the teeth - an area which often gets forgotten and neglected. Using them as part of your daily routine you can dramatically reduce the risk of developing gum disease, something that can only be seen as a good point. They certainly get a gleaming smile from me!



For further information about these brushes and to also see the full range of oral healthcare implements that are available, check out the website - www.molarltd.co.uk

Summary: Brushes that effectively clean the gaps between your teeth