Getting braces can help you achieve a healthier, straighter smile. To keep your teeth in the best shape possible, you have to take care of your teeth, brackets, and wires while your teeth are being straightened. By brushing your teeth with braces and flossing, you can protect your smile and prevent tooth decay.
How to Brush Your Teeth with Braces
Fortunately, learning how to brush with braces isn’t hard. It takes just a few minutes to clean your teeth and braces each day.
1. Take Off Removable Parts
If you have any removable bands or parts, take them off before you clean your teeth.
2. Brush Your Wires
Now, you should focus on brushing underneath your top and bottom wires. Every bit of wire should be cleaned.
3. Brush Your Teeth
Next, you should brush your teeth for two minutes. If you think of your teeth as four separate areas (upper left, lower left, upper right, and lower right), then you should spend about 30 seconds on each quadrant.
4. Rinse Your Mouth
Once you are done, you should rinse your mouth with water. Then, check the mirror to see if you removed all the food particles.
How to Floss with Braces
After you have finished brushing your teeth with braces, you can start flossing with braces. Because wires and brackets can get in the way, you should consider using floss threaders or water irrigators.
1. Get a Floss Threader
We supply you with a package of floss threaders. You can also get floss threaders at the grocery store. Unlike standard floss, these threaders allow you to floss underneath your wires and down around your gums (gingiva).
2. Wrap the Thread
You should start by wrapping the ends of the floss around your pointer fingers. Several inches of floss should be kept taut between your fingers.
3. Floss Your Teeth
Using an up and down motion, floss between each set of teeth. You should floss beneath the gumline of the sides of your teeth to get rid of any plaque.
4. Repeat
Repeat the same steps until you have flossed all your teeth. If you are struggling to get rid of all the food particles, you can always use a water flosser as well.
How Often Should You Brush Your Teeth with Braces?
You should focus on brushing your teeth with braces at least three times a day. Ideally, you should brush your teeth in the morning and night as well as after every meal. You should also wait 15 minutes after eating before you brush, so your mouth can return to its natural pH level.
Protect Your Smile
If you are interested in orthodontics to improve your smile, you can start by booking an appointment with Dr. Pratt Manning today.