During your treatment of braces in Long Island, it’s imperative that you have excellent oral hygiene care to prevent gum inflammation, tooth decay, and decalcification (weakened enamel often appears as white opaque patches on your teeth).
Our dentist encourages the following recommendations as part of your braces oral care routine:
Brushing Teeth With Braces
Brushing your teeth should be done when you wake up, after eating, and before you go to bed.
When it comes to brushing your teeth with braces, hold the toothbrush so that the bristles are at a 45-degree angle pointing into the gums. Next, angle it toward the top of the brackets and then the bottom of the brackets, and brush against them using the same 45-degree angle. Be sure to also brush the biting surface and behind of all of your teeth, also focusing along the gumlines.
Flossing With Braces
Flossing with braces is just as important as brushing. To do so, you will need a few special tools, including:
Floss Threaders
A floss threader looks like a large, flexible, plastic needle. What you’ll do is thread traditional floss through the loop of the threader. Then, slide the tip end of the threader between your teeth until the floss comes out through the back. At this point, you can remove the threader and maneuver the flossing string around to clean against the sides of the teeth.
You’ll need to repeat this process between every one of your teeth.
Threader Floss
Threader floss is a traditional piece of flossing string that conveniently has a rigid end which can be used to slide between your teeth, eliminating the need for a floss threader.
Interproximal Brushes
There are also brushes that look like tiny Christmas trees or pipe cleaners. They’re small enough to fit behind orthodontic wires, making cleaning around your brackets easier.
Water Flossers
A water flosser is a great investment to make if you have braces. This is basically a pressure washer for your teeth.
A water flosser uses a water-filled tank that has a hose and a handle attached to it. Or it attaches directly to the faucet. To use a water flosser you’ll aim the handle’s nozzle between your teeth and push a button that releases a burst of high pressured water, flushing away any plaque that’s in that area.
Braces Oral Hygiene On-The-Go
Having a small oral hygiene kit readily available in your car, your school locker, or your desk at work, will make brushing your teeth with braces more convenient.
Be sure to include a soft-bristled toothbrush, some floss with floss threaders, or some interproximal brushes, along with fluoride mouthwash.
Professional Cleanings and Braces
In addition to keeping excellent at-home care, it’s imperative to visit your dentist twice per year for a professional cleaning. Our Suffolk County dentist may even recommend that some patients with braces come more often.
Our Long Island dental team is here to support you throughout your entire orthodontic treatment. If you have braces, call Sachem Dental today for your next checkup.
