Oral Hygiene with Braces
Keeping your teeth clean becomes even more important during braces treatment because of the risks involved in letting food remain in place too long. Read on to learn what the risks are and, more importantly, how to keep your smile looking its best during treatment and beyond.
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Why Oral Hygiene is Important During Your Braces Treatment
While the end result of orthodontic care is a more beautiful smile, it is much harder to keep teeth clean while wearing braces. Because food compacts in the brackets and between the teeth, it is critical to brush and floss regularly. If plaque remains on the teeth for any length of time, it will leave a permanent white scar on the surface. So, brushing after meals and before bedtime should become a regular part of your daily routine.
How to Brush with Braces
Use a soft toothbrush with firm pressure and brush at a 45-degree angle to the tooth. Brush in small circles above and below the brackets. Braces are good for your teeth, but hard on your toothbrush. It will wear out faster because of your appliances, so be sure to replace it whenever the bristles start to fray.
A water pick can also be very helpful but it cannot remove the sticky plaque that adheres to teeth. And don’t forget to floss every day!
We recommend during active orthodontic treatment that you visit your general dentist every 4 months for a cleaning. This extra cleaning recommendation is part of our commitment to excellent oral hygiene for all our patients.
Keep your teeth cleaner, your breath fresher and your smile brighter with this brushing technique:
- GENTLY brush back and forth between the wires and gums to loosen food particles. Start on the upper, and then do the lower, keeping your teeth apart while you brush.
- Start on the outside of the upper teeth with the bristles at a 45-degree angle toward the gum. Brush with a circular motion 2 teeth at a time, at least 10 strokes in each area. Be sure the tips of the bristles reach under the wires to the gums. Work from the right to left on the upper, and then do the same on the lower teeth.
- Next, use the same pattern and brush the inner surfaces of the upper, and then the lower teeth.
- Brush the chewing surfaces last.
- Rinse your mouth and toothbrush. LOOK IN A MIRROR to see if you have missed any sections. Check the little half-moon spaces of tooth between the bands and gums. If you see any areas you have missed, clean them.
We are looking forward to working with you during the time of your treatment. Let’s work together to keep your appliance in good condition.
