The bathroom cabinet · Dental health
The little brush worth getting the right size
TePe interdental brushes are a simple purchase. Choosing the colour is the part that deserves some attention.
A packet of tiny brushes is not the most exciting thing you can add to your bathroom. But if you have upgraded your toothbrush and still skip the spaces between your teeth, it may be the more useful next purchase. The catch: buying the colour someone else uses is not a fitting service.
Fit first. Multipack later.
TePe’s sizing guidance is straightforward: the bristles should fill the space comfortably, without the wire rubbing against the neighbouring teeth. Never force the brush through. You may need more than one size across your mouth, and some tight spaces may need floss instead. A dentist or hygienist can show you which size belongs where.
Ask them to write the colours down. A quick note on your phone is much easier to shop from than a half-remembered “small blue one”. If you have implants, bridges or have recently had dental treatment, ask for a demonstration around those particular areas too.
The example below is red, 0.5 mm, ISO 2. That identifies the product; it is not a recommendation that everybody should start with red.
For a confirmed fit
TePe Original · red, eight brushes
A short handle and straight brush head make this a straightforward option if this is the size you have been advised to use. An eight-pack avoids committing to a large refill before you know the fit is comfortable.
Make it a habit, not a project
Choose one repeatable point in your evening routine. Keep the correct sizes together, rather than scattered across drawers, and work around your mouth in the same order. TePe advises cleaning the spaces daily, with a few gentle back-and-forth movements in each suitable space.
If reaching the back teeth is awkward, ask about a different handle shape rather than trying to solve access by pushing harder. TePe also makes an angled version; changing the handle does not remove the need to choose the right size.
The useful upgrade is consistency, not collecting every colour. Once the fit is settled, compare the cost per brush and delivery charge when reordering. Check the selected size and quantity again at checkout: marketplace listings can group several variants together.
More than the red packet
There are two separate decisions here: the size that fits your spaces, and the shape or feel you find easiest to use. Original, Angle and Extra Soft are not a ladder from basic to premium. They solve different practical problems. These are specific pack examples, not a prescription to buy every one.
Original · A different size
TePe Original blue · 0.6 mm, ISO 3
The same straight-head, short-handle format as the red Original, in a larger size. This eight-pack is useful if blue is one of the sizes your dental team has fitted for you.
It is not a stronger clean or an upgrade from red. If a smaller brush is the correct fit, moving up simply because blue is available is the wrong reason to switch.
Angle · For awkward access
TePe Angle pink · 0.4 mm, ISO 0
The angled head and longer handle offer a different way to reach the back of the mouth. Consider this style if the short Original handle feels fiddly, rather than if you merely want a bigger brush.
This particular link is for six pink brushes. Other sizes exist, but the handle design does not make pink suitable for every gap. Ask your hygienist to show you the approach from both the cheek and tongue sides if access is difficult.
Extra Soft · Softer bristles
TePe Extra Soft purple · 1.1 mm, ISO 6
An option to discuss if bristle softness matters to you. This eight-pack is the purple, larger-space version; “Extra Soft” describes the bristles, not a small size or permission to squeeze it through a narrow space.
That distinction matters when shopping for sensitive gums. Do not choose this large size just because the packet says soft. If your gums hurt or bleed, establish the cause and correct fit instead of treating a softer product as the whole solution.
EasyPick · A pocket-friendly alternative
TePe EasyPick orange · XS/S
This is a flexible, silicone-coated dental pick rather than a wire-and-bristle interdental brush. The linked pack contains 36 picks and a pocket case, making it a practical format to carry outside the house.
The orange XS/S version is intended for narrower spaces. Its tapered sizing system is different from the Original brush numbers: do not treat orange EasyPick as an exact substitute for an orange Original brush. If you have been given a specific cleaning plan for gum disease, implants or bridges, check before swapping tools.
What would actually change your choice?
You already know your size: reorder that size in Original if the short handle works comfortably for you. Compare pack quantities and delivery costs rather than colours.
You struggle to reach the back: ask about Angle in your appropriate size. Access and fit are different problems.
You want a softer feel: discuss Extra Soft, but keep the sizing decision separate. The purple example here will be too large for many spaces.
You want something to carry: EasyPick comes with a case and has a different cleaning surface. It is an option to consider, not automatically an equivalent replacement for a professionally fitted brush.
You do not need a drawer full of products. The useful selection is the smallest set of correctly fitted tools you can use comfortably and consistently.
Where it belongs in your routine
This is an addition to toothbrushing, not a replacement. If you are also considering a powered device, read our water-flosser guide with your own cleaning needs in mind. More equipment is only helpful when it solves a problem you actually have.
Sources & shopping notes
Fit and technique: TePe sizing guidance; TePe Angle instructions; TePe EasyPick range information. Gum symptoms: NHS advice. Product details and photographs checked against the linked Amazon.ie listings on 30 September 2026. This is a researched buying guide, not a hands-on product test. Prices, sellers and availability can change; check the selected size and pack before buying.
