Having braces is a major step towards a beautiful, healthy smile. But even though you’re sporting a mouthful of new equipment, you still need to keep it (along with your teeth and gums) clean. Brushing and flossing with braces admittedly does require a bit of practice, but with these handy tips, keeping your mouth healthy during orthodontic treatment will be a breeze!
Brushing with Braces
Because they’re comprised of wires and lots of brackets, braces have a tendency to get food and plaque trapped in them. This can make brushing them complicated, and that’s before you even get to your teeth. To brush more efficiently with braces, follow these steps:
- Rinse your mouth with water to loosen food debris that could be caught in your braces.
- Brush at the gumline at a 45-degree angle. You can use a regular toothbrush, or a brush specifically designed for braces.
- Brush the tops of the brackets, angling downward.
- Brush the bottoms of the brackets, angling upward.
- Brush the wires, both top and bottom.
- Brush each tooth at your gumline, both above and below your brackets. Don’t forget to clean the biting surfaces and backs of your teeth, too.
- Rinse well.
Flossing with Braces
Flossing braces can be a bit complicated because you have a lot of obstacles to work around. Thankfully, devices like floss threaders can make this step a bit easier. They help you pull the floss around your wires and between your teeth despite the brackets sticking out.
Another useful tool you can try is a water flosser. Water flossers irrigate the teeth and gums with pure water, loosening food and plaque from between the teeth and off the orthodontic equipment. Water flossers should not be used instead of regular dental floss, however they make an excellent accompaniment to it, because they can make flossing and brushing a lot easier.
Remember, despite its challenges, brushing and flossing your teeth during orthodontic treatment is still extremely important. You can still get cavities, decalcification, and gum disease with braces, so keeping on top of your oral hygiene is essential. Furthermore, you may find that you need to brush and floss more frequently with braces because food is so easily trapped within the wires and brackets, so be prepared to clean up your mouth each time you eat by carrying a travel kit with a toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss, floss threaders, and braces brushes wherever you go.
About Our Practice
“It takes a village,” as they say, and at Village Pediatric Dentistry, our team is here to provide a caring support network for your child’s oral health. Whether they need an exam and cleaning, an emergency procedure, or the correction of bite issues with the help of braces, we’re ready to help.
To schedule an orthodontic appointment, please visit our website or call us today at 678-456-5572.