Keeping Your Smile Healthy
When you have braces, maintaining proper oral hygiene is more important than ever. Brushing and flossing after every meal help keep your teeth and gums healthy and ensure your orthodontic treatment stays on track. If you’re unsure which toothbrush, toothpaste, or floss to use, let us know—we’re happy to recommend the best products for your teeth and braces.
Brushing with Braces
Brushing thoroughly is essential to remove food particles and plaque that can get trapped around your braces. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush with fluoride toothpaste, or consider a powered toothbrush for more effective cleaning.
- Brush your teeth for at least two minutes after each meal.
- Hold your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to your gumline and use small, gentle, circular motions to clean the outer and inner surfaces.
- Pay special attention to areas around your brackets and wires to ensure all debris is removed.
- Clean the chewing surfaces and the inside of your front teeth using short back-and-forth motions.
Flossing with Braces
Flossing helps clean between your teeth and around your braces where your toothbrush can’t reach. To floss with braces, use a floss threader or orthodontic floss to guide the floss behind the wires.
- Wrap the ends of the floss around your fingers, leaving a few inches of taut floss to work with.
- Gently slide the floss between your teeth using a back-and-forth motion, curving it around each tooth to clean beneath the gumline.
- Repeat for all your teeth to remove food particles and plaque effectively.
If traditional flossing feels cumbersome, consider using a water flosser, which can clean around brackets and wires with ease.
