When you have braces, you want to be sure you are taking care of them properly. One of the most popular questions we get from patients after they get braces put on is “How do I brush my teeth now?”
Burke & Beckstrom Orthodontics wants to help you take care of your oral health. We put together this quick guide on what the best way to brush your teeth with braces is.
Be sure to read on if you need to learn or just want to know you are cleaning them properly.
How to Brush with Braces
Get Started
First, take out any elastics or other removable pieces. The only object left in your mouth should be the braces themselves.
Clean Your Braces
Next, carefully clean around the wires and brackets inside of your mouth. You will want to brush gently but be sure that you are removing all plaque buildup and stuck food.
Brush the wires starting at the top and moving to the bottom. Be sure you go over all of your teeth.
Brush Your Teeth Regularly
Now you can continue brushing your teeth normally. The American Dental Association recommends brushing two times a day for two minutes each.
It can help to brush your teeth in four separate sections, so you do not lose track. Split your teeth into four equal sections and brush them for 30 seconds each. You will want to reach every area of your mouth.
Rinse
Rinse your mouth out thoroughly with water. You might want to rinse twice to ensure that you washed away all the toothpaste from hidden spots in your braces.
Check Your Teeth
Finally, you will want to examine your teeth. You can check them out in the mirror, remember to look for any areas you missed while brushing or trapped food. Put your bands back in place- and you are all done!
How to Floss with Braces
Flossing with braces on can be hard. Although, you still will want to do it every day. Particles can become trapped easily in a mouth with braces, so you want to make sure you are keeping everything clean.
Floss Daily
You will want to use a piece of waxed floss. Unwaxed floss can shred or snap easily when it makes contact with your braces. There are also products out there that assist in flossing with braces.
Thread Carefully
Take your waxed floss and thread it under the main wire carefully. From there, you should move it up and down slowly- too much force can break the floss. Continue this process with the rest of your teeth.
Conclusion
Brushing your teeth twice daily is very important when you have braces on. If your child or a young family member has braces, they might need your help to clean their teeth. Be sure that you brush gently for them.
If you need more assistance cleaning your teeth, be sure to contact us. We would love to demonstrate the proper way to brush your teeth with braces. Seeing it done once is usually very helpful to people.
