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How to Deep Clean Teeth with Braces
Getting braces can be a bit of an adjustment. You’ll need to make small changes to your routine. This includes adapting your daily oral hygiene routine and some dietary choices. But braces are a commitment that will pay off. If you take great care of your braces and teeth, you’ll be rewarded with a beautiful, straight smile. Here are some simple tips on how you can keep your teeth clean during orthodontic treatment.
Cleaning Teeth with Invisalign®
With Invisalign, you’ll receive clear, discreet trays that work daily to straighten your teeth. One of the biggest benefits of Invisalign is that you remove the trays while eating and cleaning your teeth. This means that your daily oral hygiene routine doesn’t need to change much with Invisalign clear aligner therapy:
Continue to brush your teeth with a soft-bristled manual or electric toothbrush twice a day for two minutes each time and to floss daily. But in addition to these standard practices, rinse your mouth with water or an alcohol-free mouthwash after eating and drinking before putting your aligners back in, and be sure to keep your Invisalign trays clean by following any directions our team gives you.
Cleaning Teeth with Traditional Braces
Traditional braces are made of ceramic or metal brackets and wire. For the duration of your treatment, they cover a portion of the front of your teeth. Thus, you’ll need to modify how you brush and floss your teeth. Here are a few tips:
To start, rinse your mouth with water before brushing. A water flosser equipped with an orthodontic head is an incredibly helpful tool for removing debris and food particles from around your brackets before brushing. An electric toothbrush is another tool that can simplify the brushing process. With either a manual or electric toothbrush, we recommend dividing your mouth into four sections and brushing each quadrant for 30 seconds. Hold your toothbrush at a 45 degree angle and brush gently above, below, and between your brackets in circular motions, as well as the chewing surfaces of your teeth. Consider using an interdental brush to get to any hard-to-reach places. For flossing, we recommend using a floss threader device to easily get the string floss under the wire. And lastly, rinsing with an alcohol-free antibacterial mouthwash is a great way to freshen breath, prevent plaque buildup on teeth, and promote healthy gums.
Ask Us All Your Oral Hygiene Questions!
Contact us if you have any additional questions about how to care for your teeth while you undergo orthodontic treatment. We would be happy to address concerns you may have about your new dental care routine and help you successfully adjust to wearing braces.
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