3 Top Tips for Brushing Your Teeth with Braces

You’ve taken the first step to enhancing your beautiful smile by getting braces. Now let’s make sure you can keep those pearly whites shining with these three helpful tips: 

Brush Often 

Floss threader helps you floss between your braces

Gone are the days of brushing twice a day. Food particles will do their best to lodge themselves into any tiny crevice they can find, and the longer they sit there the higher the risk is of developing dental problems such as cavities and gingivitis. Send them on down the drain by brushing after EVERY meal. Yes, even after that afternoon snack. 
 
Oh yeah, and don’t forget to floss! A floss threader will make this task easier.

Choose the Right Toothbrush for Braces

Simply Orthodontics provides you with a toothbrush kit when you begin your treatment with us. We recommend using what we provide for best results; however, if you prefer we have a recommendation below.

Interdental toothbrushes for brushing with braces

No one enjoys sore and swollen gums. So with all of that increased brushing, you’ll want to be sure to choose a soft toothbrush. If choosing a manual toothbrush, be sure to get one that is small and easy to maneuver at many different angles (interdental toothbrushes are a helpful addition). Also, the bristles are likely to wear more quickly with braces so you’ll want to replace your toothbrush often. 

Master the Technique 

Don’t worry, the basic principles of brushing your teeth still apply; vary brush strokes between back and forth and circular motions, be sure to cover all of your bases (outside, inside, biting surfaces, and gumlines), and keep that brush moving for at least a FULL two minutes. You’ll just need to make a few key adjustments to your routine now that you’ve got braces:  

• Before you begin, be sure to thoroughly rinse your mouth with water to dislodge any food particles that might be hiding; you can use a picking motion with your toothbrush to disrupt any stubborn stragglers
• Start by brushing the gumline using a 45 degree angle with the toothbrush
• Next, brush the top of each bracket and under the wire by angling the toothbrush downwards
• Now you can brush the bottom of each bracket by adjusting the toothbrush to angle upwards

You’ll know you’ve got this one down when your braces are looking nice and shiny and you find are smooth and pink. One last thing: don’t forget about the rest of your mouth! Germs can be found on your tongue, cheeks, and gums, so brush them too. Use toothpastes and mouthwashes that contain fluoride for added anti-cavity protection.
 
You’ll be a pro in no time.