How to Brush and Floss With Braces

Hello everyone! My name is Twyla. Does that bad breath never go away? Paying a lot of money at the dental office to get cavities fixed? Today, I am here to help save some money and teach a more efficient way to brush and floss with braces. Having a hard time keeping the teeth clean with braces is very normal. The mouth is a gateway to the body, so if the mouth is not healthy the rest of the body is not going to be healthy either have been going through treatment with braces for about 3.5 years. Taking proper care of my braces through my treatment is what I strive for every day because they can leave marks on your teeth when they are removed.

Let’s jump into the materials that we will need to complete a more efficient way of brushing and flossing the teeth while going through the treatment of braces. First off we are going to need any kind of toothbrush that has soft bristles. We want one with soft bristles because we do not want to damage our gums and cause a recession. We will also need to have some toothpaste and mouthwash. The toothpaste that I recommend using is some that has fluoride in it. The fluoride helps strengthen the teeth because the material that is used to place the braces weakens the teeth. Fluoride also helps prevent cavities and cavities are very common to occur while having braces. Lastly, we will also need a Waterpik. A Waterpik is a water irrigator that sprays water in between the teeth and helps clean out any food that may be trapped. We must clean in between the teeth because we want to keep the gums healthy and we also want to prevent getting cavities in between the teeth.

Now that we have all our materials that are needed, let’s get a move on it to have a fresh and healthy mouth. First, wet the soft bristle toothbrush and add a small pea-size amount of toothpaste. Second, place the toothbrush flat down on top of the brackets and apply enough pressure to get the tip of the bristles under the wires. Brush in a sequence and make sure that overlapping strokes take place so that we are not missing any surfaces. Third, place the brush at a 45-degree angle and brush under the brackets again apply enough pressure and overlapping strokes. Fourth, place the toothbrush directly over the brackets and wires repeating the motion several times. Remember to gently brush the gum line also because that is where plaque likes to hide and it will keep the gums healthy during treatment. Lastly, brush the chewing surfaces, the back of the teeth, and even the tongue.

Finally, we can now move on to flossing while having braces. The Waterpik is going to make this go by quickly and very easily. First, add a little mouth wash into the Waterpik reservoir and then fill the rest with warm water. Then, place the tip of the Waterpik at the gum line and move it back and forth along the gums. Partially closing the lips and letting the water flow into the sink. Always start in the back with the molars and move forward. Make sure that we are doing the front and the backs of the teeth for best results.

Make sure to brush for 2-3 minutes to make sure that every surface is clean. Brushing and flossing at least 2 times a day is very important because we want to make sure we are keeping the teeth clean and preventing them from cavities. It is a very important part to keep the mouth and body healthy.

This video will show all the steps put together. This is the final routine that is taken every morning and night while having braces.