Interdental brush sizes and do you reuse them?

[BraceFace2o1o]

I bought some of these from my super market (grocery store in the US?), thinking I would need the smallest size. I bought a few packets of the size 0.45mm, when I got them home I realised they were TOO small to do anything really, maybe if I had some gaps I could use them in between my teeth but they are too small to really 'clean' between brackets under the archwire. My Ortho gave me a goody bag of toof stuff, so I decided to start using some of it last week, but it only contained one 'interdental brush'! It was one of those ones that's on the other end of a toothbrush . I have tried to use it, but it's too big/wide and hurts my gums when it gets stuck between my teeth and archwire and then I have to yank it out.

I'm going to have to buy some more (I've been making do with the ones I already have), but not sure what size to go for yet. What size do you use? I am thinking I might need 1.0mm - 1.5mm. I find these interdental brushes a bit expensive. So I was wondering if you guys re-use yours? Or do you use a new one each time? We re-use our toothbrush, and an interdental brush is kinda just like a very small version, so why not re-use these too? (after cleaning them of course).

The 0.45mm ones I bought cost me over £3 for just 6 and the shop I bought them from doesn't stock any above 0.7mm, so I'll have to buy my 'bigger' ones online and the cheapest I've found is over £4 for 8. I might ask my Ortho if they sell them, see what price they charge. I think the only thing my Ortho office give out for free is wax, but I am not 100% sure because I haven't needed any.

Damn braces are expensive just on their own + all the cleaning equipment, I am gonna be broke lol.

[ashesgap]

Yes you can use one over and over. Till the little bristles bend, or the wire breaks. Look at Piksters.com or Pikster.com not sure what exactly it is. They're called Piksters. The size 5 is pretty good for between brackets, but i think the 6 would be perfect. If you look at my post a few down from yours VancouverJude linked a website that shows the sizes. I got 40 from drugstore.com for 15bucks. They'll last a while. I'm sure shipping would suck, but i love these little things and would take that hit just to have them. good luck.

[Jen8626]

Hi I use the green TePe interdental think its 0.8mm and its perfect for fitting between bottom brackets and everywhere else I bought them at my dentist but pretty sure you can buy them at a chemist or supermarket. I also use the proper orthodontic toothbrush, I think it's better than the electric for cleaning around the brackets. Yes, you can re-use until the bristles break or you wear it down hehe They normally come in a back of 8. Hope this helps

[Jen8626]

** I mean pack* of 8... obviously!

[lu lu]

Chrystal - what supermaket sells them?? I didn't realise we could buy them anywhere else but the dentist.

Also could somebody help me please. What size do you use to clean extraction gaps????

Went the dentist & she said I needed to clean them with a tepe brush. Think its the same as an interdental brush but it was much bigger than my thin ones & a lot stronger. I forgot to pick some up though & won't be going for another 3 months.

Thanks x

[BraceFace2o1o]

Thanks everyone for your help much appreciated. I'll check out the Picksters. I definitely need a larger size than I have been using, they are like way too small for anything lol. 0.8mm sounds good, twice the size of the Orange ones I have. I wouldn't want ones too large, just able to get under the wire and between brackets so that I can clean around the edges of the brackets.

Chrystal - what supermaket sells them?? I didn't realise we could buy them anywhere else but the dentist.

Hey lu lu, the ones I bought were in my local Sainsburys. They are called 'Tepe Inderdental brushes' and they come in 4 sizes (Orange, Red, Blue and Yellow). These are the ones I bought: Tepe Interdental Toothbrush Orange


They aren't shaped like a Christmas tree (wider at the base and get thinner towards the top), just the same size all the way up. I prefer these to the christmas tree shaped one I have on the other end of my Ortho toothbrush.

I think the ones sold in Sainsburys are all quite small from what I saw.

[BraceFace2o1o]

Look at Piksters.com or Pikster.com not sure what exactly it is. They're called Piksters. The size 5 is pretty good for between brackets, but i think the 6 would be perfect.

Brilliant, I just did a Google search after my previous reply and found that some websites I've bought from before sell the Picksters Interdental brushes , thanks ashesgap!

Piksters Interdental Green 6 - 0.8mm

[sadpanda]

I don't know what you can get in the UK or shipped there, and I don't know the exact sizes, but I use the Butler GUM Go-Betweens. They have them in 3 sizes - tight, moderate, and wide. I've tried them all and prefer the ones for tight spaces. The other ones are too big and hurt my gums when I use them. The package says that you can use them for a week, but I use them far less than that, so they don't last as long. I don't mind though because they work very well.

[BracedSurgeryStudent]

I buy the Gum Brand called Go-Betweens. They are the Teal Blue "Wide" ones to clean bot the back of the wire and my ttoth at the same time. It's the biggest ones. My orthodontist gave me a small green one but I find it to be rather small. they're only $6.00 at Rite Aid for a pack of 8. I use it while my mouth is fulla toothpastes to clean it better and then i rinse it off nad flick it dry then recap it. I DO reuse mine. I use one per every 7 days and I change mine on thursday and just throw out the previous ones.

[bbsadmin]

We sell them at DentaKit.com, too:

http://www.dentakit.com/dentalpicks.html

[mrsbraceface]

I reuse mine for a while, until it starts getting bent or discolored. I just think it would be such a waste to throw it away after using it just once.