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If you are undergoing a teeth alignment process with the use of braces, then it is important to know how to brush your teeth the right way. Having braces can make your teeth vulnerable to dental issues such as the formation of cavities, plaque, tooth decay, etc. because food particles tend to get stuck in it. Therefore, it becomes essential to know how to clean teeth with braces to maintain good oral hygiene throughout your treatment.
How to Brush Your Teeth with Braces?
It can be difficult at first to brush your teeth with braces as you need to adjust to a new cleaning routine with different movements. However, with practice, you can clean your teeth with braces in an effective way. Here’s a look at how to clean teeth with braces at home for maintaining a healthy and confident smile.
Rinse your Mouth with Water
Before you start to brush your teeth with braces, you need to rinse your mouth properly with half a cup of water. Rinsing your mouth will loosen the food particles that get stuck in your braces. This will make it easier for you to clean out these food particles while brushing.
6 steps for effectively cleaning your teeth while wearing braces
Start by brushing the front portion of your teeth where the braces are attached. Take a small amount of toothpaste on your orthodontic toothbrush and don’t apply any water to it.
Hold your braces brush parallel to your teeth and start by brushing the front portion of your braces. Use back and forth or a circular motion in a gentle way while brushing. Make sure to brush both your upper and lower teeth back to your molars with this motion.
You can spit any excessive toothpaste that gets formed in your mouth. Hold your braces brush perpendicular to your brackets and brush the upper and lower side of your braces aiming at the archwire. Brush both the upper and lower parts of your teeth with a back-and-forth motion.
Place your ortho toothbrush for braces at a 45-degree angle with the edge facing the brackets. Now swirl the brush in a straight line towards your gums to remove any debris. Repeat this motion on the lower part of your teeth with the edge swirling towards the crown of your teeth.
Brush the behind portion of your teeth by placing the brush at a 45-degree angle with the bristles pointing towards the gum. Brush using a circular or back-and-forth motion to clean the behind portion of your teeth.
Use a mouthwash to rinse away all the remaining food particles from your mouth. You can also use an interdental brush from the range of orthodontic brushes to remove any remaining particles.
Floss for Better Results
Use waxed floss to clean the spaces between your teeth. You can also use floss threads or a water picker to effectively clean between your teeth spaces.
You can clean your teeth effectively by following certain brushing techniques with the right orthodontic brushes. If you are looking to start your teeth alignment journey, then you can check out high-quality clear aligners from makeO toothsi. The clear aligners from makeO toothsi can fix various teeth alignment issues such as teeth gaps, uneven bite, and crooked teeth.
Do’s & Don’ts of Brushing Teeth with Braces
Keep in mind these particular do’s and don’t to take care of your braces throughout the treatment and carry out their cleaning properly
Do’s
Rinse your mouth with water before brushing to loosen the food particles
Select the right orthodontic brush for cleaning your braces
Use a dentist recommended fluoride toothpaste for proper cleaning
Brush your teeth for a minimum of 2 minutes
Floss your teeth to remove any remaining food particles
Check your teeth in the mirror to validate the cleaning
Don’ts
Avoid a hard bristle toothbrush that can damage the brackets
Avoid using sharp objects such as toothpick or needle to remove stuck food particles from braces
Don’t brush your teeth by applying too much force and friction
Avoid drinking soft drinks and soda to safeguard the dental applications on your teeth
FAQs
1. How to brush teeth with braces?
Place your ortho toothbrush for braces at a 45-degree angle with the edge facing the brackets. Now swirl the brush in a straight line towards your gums to remove any debris. Repeat this motion on the lower part of your teeth with the edge swirling towards the crown of your teeth.
2. Do I brush my teeth with toothpaste when having braces?
While figuring out how to brush with braces, you can use any choice of toothpaste for cleaning your teeth. However, a dentist-recommended fluoride toothpaste will help to clean and protect your teeth in a better way compared to regular toothpaste.
3. What happens if I don’t brush with braces?
If you don’t know how to clean teeth with braces effectively, you can develop a variety of dental issues. Issues such as teeth discolouration, cavities, plaque, tooth decay, etc. can develop due to poor oral hygiene.