Brushing And Flossing With Braces

How often should you brush your teeth with braces?

We recommend brushing at least twice a day and after meals whenever possible. Braces can trap food and plaque around brackets and wires, so thorough brushing is important for helping prevent cavities, gum irritation, and white spots during orthodontic treatment.

Use a soft-bristled toothbrush with fluoride toothpaste and gently clean every surface of your teeth. Pay special attention to the areas above and below your brackets and along your gumline, where plaque can easily collect.

For the best results:

• Brush along the gumline using gentle, circular motions.
• Angle your toothbrush to clean above and below each bracket.
• Brush the front, back, and chewing surfaces of every tooth.
• Carefully clean around your brackets and wires to remove trapped food.
• Brush for about two minutes each time and don’t forget your tongue.

Good brushing habits help protect your teeth throughout treatment so that when your braces come off, your smile isn’t just straighter — it’s healthy, too.

What Tools Help Keep Braces Clean?

What is the easiest way to clean around braces? Along with your toothbrush and dental floss, a few simple orthodontic cleaning tools can help reach around brackets, wires, and other areas that are easy to miss.

• Interdental Brush: A small brush designed to fit between brackets and underneath wires, making it easier to remove food and plaque from hard-to-reach areas.
• Water Flosser: Uses a stream of water to help remove food and debris from around braces and along the gumline. It can be a helpful addition to your routine, but it shouldn’t completely replace traditional flossing unless your dental or orthodontic provider recommends otherwise.
• Floss Threader: Helps guide dental floss underneath the archwire so you can properly floss between your teeth.
• Electric Toothbrush: An electric toothbrush with a soft-bristled head can make thorough brushing around brackets and wires easier for some patients.

Keeping braces clean doesn’t have to be complicated. The right tools, combined with consistent brushing and flossing, can help prevent plaque buildup, cavities, gum inflammation, and white spots while wearing braces.