Do I Need a Special Toothbrush and Toothpaste for Braces?

Embarking on the journey with braces was the first step towards a happy, healthy smile. Now, in order to protect your investment, it is crucial to maintain your braces with the proper tools. Braces can trap food particles and can therefore contribute to the build up of plaque, and starting of gingivitis, and bad breath. This means that it is more important than ever to have great dental hygiene practices.

Braces Toothbrush

Believe it or not, there is no simple answer for “what toothbrush should I use?” There are many considerations to keep in mind when selecting the best brush for you. To begin, you’ll need to choose between a manual toothbrush and an electric toothbrush.

Manual toothbrushes have the advantage of being smaller (which makes them easier to manipulate for some), and of course they are more affordable that electric varieties. Electric toothbrushes, however, offer the advantage of being more thorough for people that tend to rush through their brushing routine. Either way, when we are talking cleaning around braces, the smaller the better - small toothbrushes will be able to sneak into tighter spaces.

If you do decide on an electric brush, be sure to select an "orthodontic" head attachment. Also keep in mind that people with braces will need to replace their brush much more frequently than people without braces as the bristles are broken down--cost may become a factor. (though Simply Ortho patient's get these brushes on the day their braces go on as our gift in honour of your healthy mouth!)

An interdental brush is another useful tool for keeping your mouth in tip top shape. This type of brush is used for getting in between the teeth and braces and can actually be as effective as floss when used correctly. You’ll want to use this every time you brush.

Ultimately, the most important detail is the technique in which you brush your teeth. Choose the brush that makes executing the technique the easiest! 

Braces Toothpaste

This is much more simple! You do not need to use a specific brand or type of toothpaste for braces. As long as the toothpaste is CDA approved and contains fluoride you’re good to go! You will, however, want to avoid any whitening toothpastes while in braces and save your whitening plans for when the braces are off!

There you have it. All that’s left to do is get brushing!