Brushing and Flossing
When wearing braces, brushing and flossing after each meal is important for keeping your teeth and gums healthy during your orthodontic treatment. If you need help choosing the right toothbrush, toothpaste, or dental floss, please contact us so we can help you find the finest products for your teeth and appliance.
BRUSHING BRACKETS
After each meal, clean your teeth for two minutes using a soft-bristled, small-headed toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste. To boost the efficacy of your brushing, you can utilize a powered toothbrush. Brush your teeth in small, soft circular strokes on the outer and inner surfaces, maintaining the toothbrush head at a 45-degree angle to the gum line. Brush your tooth’s chewing surfaces and the inside surfaces of your front teeth with short, gentle back-and-forth strokes. Keep an eye on the areas where your brackets and other appliances are located.
FLOSSING AND BRACES
Flossing after each meal might help you remain on track with your treatment by keeping your teeth and braces clean. When flossing with braces, use a floss threader or orthodontic floss to thread the floss behind each wire. Wrap the floss ends over the pointer fingers of both hands, leaving a few inches of taut floss between them. Gently glide the floss between each set of teeth in a back-and-forth motion. To remove plaque and food particles, floss beneath the gum line on the sides of each tooth. Rep this method until you’ve flossed all of your teeth. If your floss isn’t removing all of the food particles between your teeth and around your braces, ask us about a water flosser.
