Care of Braces

Caring for your teeth during your treatment with braces is very important. This care may take a little extra time, but it will help ensure the very best results from your treatment. We give each of our patients a professional-level Sonicare toothbrush to help make it easier.

Plaque is caused by bacteria, food and saliva. With braces, there is greater opportunity for plaque to build up and cause swollen gums, bad breath, cavities and permanent marks on your teeth. You can avoid these problems by brushing daily (three to four times is ideal—after each meal and before bed,) flossing each night, and keeping up with regular dental appointments.

How to Brush with Braces

• Use fluoride toothpaste and a soft toothbrush in good condition. Braces tend to wear down brushes quickly, so be sure to replace your toothbrush when it shows signs of wear.
• Brush around all the parts of your braces as well as on all tooth surfaces.
• Brush your gums and your tongue. This will not only improve hygiene but will help fight bad breath as well.
• Rinse thoroughly after brushing.
• Inspect your teeth and braces thoroughly to make sure you didn’t miss any food particles.
• If you’re unable to brush after each meal, you should at least rinse your mouth out well with water, swishing the liquid all around to remove larger food particles.

Flossing with Braces

• Flossing with braces is a little trickier but is vital in maintaining your dental hygiene. Using a floss threader may be necessary. A floss threader helps you get dental floss underneath your archwire easily.
• Use about 18 inches of floss and loop it through the threader. Run the threader under your archwire, then hold one end of the floss as you gently pull the threader off.
• Loop the ends of the floss around your fingers and floss as you normally would. When finished, pull the floss through and rethread it between the next pair of teeth.
• Flossing before bed is a good habit to get into, as you probably have more time then and won’t feel rushed.
• Practice will make flossing with braces easier.

There are other tools we might recommend to assist with dental hygiene while you have braces. We'll discuss these in detail during your appointment.

Just a little extra time each day spent on dental hygiene will help you receive the very best results from your orthodontic treatment.