Individuals with braces often face a top challenge, and that is brushing.
Braces need that extra effort to clean teeth and different angular movements to reach where germs and food buildup, particularly around bands, brace brackets, fixed retainers, and wires. But by considering our expert tips, you can easily learn the perfect ways to brush your teeth with braces!
Selecting a Toothbrush
The first vital step in brushing with braces is to select a soft toothbrush that is strong enough to clean those metal brackets, but still gentle on the gums. There are varieties of toothbrushes available in the market that is specially designed for this purpose. These brushes placed bristles at an angle and designed to sweep germs as well as food particles from tricky areas that are difficult to reach.
If left dirty, these germs digest sticky food particles and generate plaque acids that destroy tooth enamel. Such toothbrushes have durable polishing cups to hold bracket and teeth longer, offering more consistent results. The best part is that these brushes can clean not just teeth and braces, but also tongue, cheeks, and gums. To know more about selecting toothbrush click here
Applying the Toothpaste
Once you have selected the perfect toothbrush, the next step is to select toothpaste that can clean your teeth and braces as well as offer them absolute protection. Most of the toothpaste is perfect to use with braces, but make sure you don’t use teeth whitening toothpaste or products. It is because these products can damage your braces.
Good toothpaste is one that cuts through the food into small particles and easily cleans teeth without damaging the braces. At the same time, the toothpaste must effectively kill germs and combat plaque from forming around braces and teeth. Hence, make sure you select toothpaste that is an all-around cleaner.
Brushing Your Teeth through the Brackets
With a selection of appropriate toothpaste and toothbrush, it is vital to learn how to brush effectively with braces. You must begin brushing from one corner of the mouth and placing the bristles of brush at an angle of 45-degree against the back teeth. This will make the bristles move along the gums and brush forth and back on all areas of gum line on lower and upper teeth.
After this, move your hand in small circular motions. Gently sweep the toothbrush cleaning for one or two teeth at a time for at least 15 circles. It is always wise to select a specific pattern that cleans the sides of the face including tongue sides and brackets of braces. The biting areas of the lower and upper teeth must be brushed with forth and back motion.
Once you have finished brushing the teeth, make sure that you clean hard to reach regions such as face side of lower and upper front teeth, under lips, and other areas where wires and brackets are located. This is vital to make sure that all food and plaque is removed from the mouth. The entire process must take 4-5 minutes to clean the braces and teeth thoroughly.
How to Floss with Braces
Take an 18-24 inches dental floss to carry flossing. You must wrap the floss ends around the middle and index finger and then move in the correct direction. Make sure you hold the floss tightly around each tooth and move the floss forth and back in a pull-push motion and down and up against the side of each tooth.
Brushing, Replacing and Repeating
It is suggested to brush your teeth at least 3 times a day if you have braces. Even most of the people brush their teeth after every meal and before sleeping so that there is no food or germs left inside the mouth. It is because germs left inside the mouth can cause significant damage.
Also, it is suggested for everyone to change their toothbrush most often. But if you have teeth with metal, then your brush is moving on metal as well as enamel. For this reason, patients are encouraged to change their toothbrush every two months.
Brushing is not the only solution to keep your braces and teeth clean. Flossing is also needed at regular intervals. Various rinses are recommended to keep your mouth clean and healthy. With putting in some extra time and efforts and using the right tools, brushing your teeth with braces will never be a big challenge.
Sure, this would be great fun!
