Caring for Your Smile

Brushing and flossing are always important—never more so than when you are undergoing orthodontic treatment. Here are some guidelines for making sure your mouth stays healthy during your orthodontia.

Brushing

Flossing

Brushing

One of the common fears about orthodontics is that the braces may cause decay. Your full braces, or the brackets bonded to your teeth, cover and protect that portion of your teeth as long as they are firmly attached. Brushing can be a bit of a challenge while you're wearing braces. If you fail to get the other parts of your teeth clean or to exercise your gums, your gums may swell and make it more difficult for you to clean.

First, you should try to brush as soon as you finish eating. Many of patients carry a travel-style toothbrush with them to make it easier to keep up with brushing. Second, before you brush normally, you need to gently brush back and forth between the wires and your gums to loosen any food particles. Then, start on the outside of the upper teeth with bristles at a 45-degree angle toward the gum. Scrub with a circular motion, two or three teeth at a time. Continue with the same motion on the inner surfaces of your upper teeth, then move to the outer and inner surfaces of your lower teeth. End with a good scrubbing of the chewing surfaces and be sure to rinse well.

Make sure to check a mirror to see if you've missed any spots, and look closely at the little half-moon spaces of teeth between the bands and gums and the spaces between the molar tubes and gums. When you have finished, the bands and wires should be free of all food particles and any soft white coating of plaque. Your braces should look clean and shiny.

At each orthodontic appointment, your wires are removed so you have a chance for an even more thorough brushing and flossing.
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Flossing

Flossing can be a bit tricky as well. Try inserting your floss behind your arch wire and gently clean the sides of your teeth and under your gums with an up-and-down motion. It's best if you floss between all of your teeth once a day. You'll also get an extra opportunity to floss when we remove your wires at each appointment.

Water picks can be helpful for getting in between teeth and removing food particles that a brush cannot reach. However, they should only be used after a thorough brushing and not as a substitute for brushing.
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