Now that your braces are in place, it is very important to maintain a good oral hygiene regimen throughout the length of your treatment. Braces, wires, bands and retainers can all trap food particles and make it difficult to brush or floss away plaque. Careful brushing and flossing, preferably after every meal and snack, is the best way to prevent plaque build-up, tooth decay and gum disease.
Brushing while Wearing Braces
Especially during orthodontic treatment, brush your teeth four times daily to avoid the accumulation of food particles in your teeth and braces:
- In the morning after breakfast
- After lunch or right after school
- After dinner
- At bedtime
Flossing while Wearing Braces
Flossing takes more time and patience when you are wearing braces, but it is important to floss your teeth every day. We recommend flossing at night to make sure your teeth are clean before you go to bed.
Use a reusable floss threader to floss under your archwire. Pull a small length of floss or pre-threaded floss from the dispenser through the threader, and slide it up and down along the front of each tooth. Use care around your archwire, and do not floss too forcefully around it or put too much pressure on it.
Using an Interdental Toothbrush
An interdental (between the teeth) or proxibrush toothbrush is used to clean underneath and around your archwires and braces. Please use the interdental toothbrush gently to avoid damaging your wires.
Topical Fluoride
We recommend using a fluoride rinse (such as ACT) to help prevent tooth decay while you are wearing braces. This rinse kills bacteria and replaces minerals in the tooth enamel that have been removed by harmful acids. Using a fluoride rinse does not replace daily brushing and flossing, but it should be used following your daily schedule at bedtime.
Cleaning Your Removable Appliance
Brush your removable retainers every day as a part of your regular brushing and flossing schedule. Because food particles and plaque can accumulate on your appliance just as they do on your teeth, brush the appliance daily. Do not use denture- cleaning tablets or soak your retainer in mouth rinses. We have a special cleaner that we can use when you come into the office for your retainer check visits.