Brushing and flossing your teeth becomes a whole new ballgame when you add braces to the mix! Cavalancia Orthodontics, located in Indiana and Johnstown, PA is here to teach you the skills to continue brushing and flossing effectively even with braces. Braces make it easy for food and bacteria to stay between your teeth and your braces. Because of this, we want all of our patients with braces to know the best and easiest techniques to remove plaque and food particles. Our orthodontists and friendly staff are here to help you through this adjustment period and learn how to brush and floss with braces.
Start With A Rinse
The best way to start brushing your teeth with braces is by rinsing with water first. This is the first step in releasing stuck food particles, meaning you will have to do less flossing later. After a thorough rinse, you can begin brushing.
Be Thorough While Brushing
The biggest tip to brushing with braces is being thorough. Brush each individual tooth at all angles. Begin by brushing the top of your brackets, then the brackets themselves, and eventually the bottom of the brackets. Constantly change your toothbrush angle and position to ensure every nook and cranny is reached. This will allow the maximum amount of food debris and plaque to be removed with brushing alone.
Use The Correct Tool
At Cavalancia Orthodontics, we know that brushing and flossing with braces isn’t the easiest task. But, we also want to equip you with the best tools possible. Regular flossing and braces do not work well together. We recommend using an orthodontic floss threader. An easy, inexpensive tool that can be found right next to the toothbrushes and floss in the drug store. The threader allows you to pull the floss in between each tooth, above the bracket and wire, to reach the gum line. This is essential when flossing with braces.
Waxed Floss
With your floss threader, we also recommend using waxed floss. Waxed floss will be easier with your braces and will not break or get caught on the brackets. The difference between waxed floss and regular floss is huge when dealing with braces. Take it from us, you do not want pieces of floss stuck between your teeth!
Final Rinse
After a thorough brushing and flossing, give your mouth one last, good rinse with either water or mouthwash. This will ensure that any remaining food particles will come free, either from your braces or your teeth.
Contact Cavalancia Orthodontics For Your Next Visit!
If you have any questions or concerns about brushing and flossing your teeth with braces, please let us know. We will be happy to go through the techniques with you during your next orthodontic consultation. To schedule your next appointment, fill out our easy online form or call us directly in Indiana or Johnstown, PA. We look forward to helping you on this orthodontic journey with braces!