Maintaining Proper Oral Hygiene While Wearing Braces
Good oral hygiene constitutes a vital role in the outcome of your treatment. When your braces are removed, we want you to have the most beautiful and healthy smile possible, free of stains and decay. Brushing and flossing your teeth with braces can be difficult, but it is important not to let that discourage you because good oral hygiene constitutes a vital role in the outcome of your treatment. Look through some of the tips below on how you can be sure that you are properly taking care of your teeth with braces on.
Brushing With Braces
Optimal Brushing Tips
While wearing braces, it is important to brush your teeth at different angles so that you can be sure to remove any stuck food particles and bacteria. Follow these steps for optimal brushing:
- Begin with the outside of the teeth, with your brush at an angle brush in small circular motions.
- Clean the area between the gums and braces by angling your brush downward toward the lower jaw, and continue to brush in gentle circular motions.
- Angle the brush upward toward your top jaw and continue to clean the rest of the outside teeth.
- Brush the chewing surfaces of your teeth by gently moving the brush back and forth.
- Finish by brushing the backsides of the teeth, and don’t forget the roof of your mouth and tongue – as these are places were bacteria like to accumulate.
Floss Around Brackets and Wires and between teeth with the Help of Floss Threaders.
A good dental hygiene routine includes using floss to clean the tight space between teeth that your toothbrush can’t, eliminating the chance for decay and plaque to accumulate. By using a special floss threader you will be able to maneuver around wires and brackets more efficiently. Follow these steps to floss around your braces:
- Floss at least once a day, before bed is a great time.
- Start by pulling a strand of floss through the threader.
- Push the end of the floss threader under the archwire and pull the floss through.
- Pull the floss up between the teeth and gently move it up and down the side of both teeth – remembering to move it up all the way under the gums.
- Pull the floss out and use a different section of it for the next tooth.
- Rinse your mouth with water or an antiseptic mouthwash.
We Are Here to Help
Keeping an excellent oral hygiene during your orthodontic treatment will make sure that you have great results when it’s time for your braces to be removed. Don’t let all that hard work go to waste and be sure to brush after every meal and floss at least once a day. Contact us at our clinic today if you have more questions about how you should be caring for your braces. We will be happy to set up an appointment for you to come in and see us if you have any concerns.