How to keep your teeth clean with braces

So you have braces! Congratulations – you’re on your way to straighter teeth and a better smile.

But keeping your teeth clean when you have braces can feel like a challenge at first. In this post, we’ll go through some of the things to consider.

Brushing

Brushing with braces poses a unique challenge. Braces can make it hard to reach some areas with your toothbrush or floss. In addition, as you have perhaps already discovered, braces can make it easier for food matter to get stuck in your mouth. These factors combined mean that it can be easier for plaque to grow and that your teeth will require more attention and thorough cleaning.

When you have braces, you should pay extra attention to making sure that you thoroughly remove plaque and any food matter when cleaning.

Your brushing routine

Now that you have had braces, it’s an excellent opportunity to revise your brushing routine. Many of the habits you establish for caring for your braces can carry over long after you have them removed and help you for the rest of your life!

Brush gently for two minutes twice a day. You should use a soft-bristled toothbrush and hold it at a 45-degree angle. Use small circular motions working your way around the fronts and then the backs of your teeth.

It is very important to rinse as part of your routine, either with mouthwash or just tap water. Rinsing after meals and before brushing will help remove any food that gets stuck in your teeth or braces.

Dental products

There are products available to help people with braces. These include:

  • Orthodontic toothbrushes. These toothbrushes have specifically shaped bristles, a narrow neck, and a strong grip to help cleaning around your wires and brackets.
  • Interdental brushes. These help you to clean difficult-to-reach places and come in various shapes and sizes.
  • Floss. Flossing devices are excellent at cleaning plaque between teeth and removing food.
  • Non-whitening toothpaste. We recommend using toothpaste that does not advertise itself as ‘whitening’. This is because it will not whiten the area behind your brackets. Ultimately, whitening could cause a colour difference in the enamel which will be noticeable when you have your braces removed.

Other tips

  • Foods: Wherever possible, try to limit your intake of hard, sticky or crunchy foods. These can all too easily get stuck in your braces, damage them and making cleaning behind them difficult.
  • Smoking: Cigarettes and tobacco products can stain teeth. Your brace will make it even harder to combat this. Now would be a great time to stop smoking!

Conclusion

We hope that this post has given you an idea of how to clean your teeth with braces.

If you encounter any difficulties with your dental routine now that you have braces, schedule an appointment with your dentist or orthodontist for advice. It’s important to keep on top of your regular visits to a dentist or dental hygienist, more now than ever!

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