How to clean your teeth if you have braces

Braces are a great way to get a more beautiful smile. However, they do require a bit of extra maintenance to keep your teeth nice and clean. In this post, we’ll tell you how to keep your teeth clean when you’re wearing braces. Specifically, we’ll go over the topics of brushing, flossing and rinsing.

Brushing your teeth with braces

Brushing your teeth with braces isn’t difficult. It’s very similar to how you would brush your teeth normally. However, there are some slight differences to your brushing routine when you have braces. We’ll go over them here.

One difference is that will have to brush your teeth more often. This is because food can easily get trapped between your brackets and under your wires. If you leave the food in there, it can lead to plaque and tooth decay, and it can even damage your braces. Therefore, you may need to brush your teeth three or four times a day instead of the two times a day that is normally recommended.

Another thing to keep in mind is that braces can break if you’re not careful. The brackets can break if you apply too much pressure to them, which may mean an emergency trip to the orthodontist. So when you brush your teeth, try not to brush too hard. Use a soft circular motion instead.

What if you have Invisalign instead of braces? If this is the case, then you can simply take your Invisalign retainers out of your mouth and brush your teeth normally. Keep in mind however that you should also clean your retainers regularly by brushing them with toothpaste and a toothbrush.

Flossing

Flossing can be very difficult with braces because the wires get in the way. But don’t worry – there’s a device called a floss threader that comes in handy. To use a floss threader, pull about ten centimetres of floss through the loop of the threader and then pull the threader in between your teeth. Take the floss out of the threader and then floss your teeth normally. Repeat the process for your other teeth.

Rinsing

It’s a good idea to rinse your mouth often when you have braces. This is because rinsing is a quick and easy way to remove food particles.

To do a rinse, take a mouthful of water and swish it around inside your mouth for a few seconds. Then spit the water out into the sink.

One of the best times to rinse your mouth is before you brush your teeth. This is because a rinse can get rid of a lot of the food particles in your mouth, after which your toothbrush can remove the remaining bits of food.

Conclusion

Cleaning your teeth when you have braces doesn’t have to be difficult. The main thing is to clean your teeth a little more thoroughly than usual to ensure you dislodge any bits of food stuck in your braces.

If you’d like to talk to us about braces in Birmingham, Invisalign in Birmingham or any other dental issue, make an appointment with one of our dentists by speaking to our friendly reception team.