Brushing and Flossing

Taking Care of Your Teeth While Wearing Braces

When patients see an orthodontist in Syracuse, Fulton, or Fayetteville, NY they may imagine that treatment involves braces alone. Actually, treating misalignments and other orthodontic concerns involves several different stages, including retention following treatment with their chosen braces type. All orthodontic patients will also have to learn about the right way to care for their aligners and how to achieve necessary brushing and flossing tasks at home. This is important for achieving the very best treatment results.

Brushing with Braces

Brush your teeth for two minutes after every meal with a soft-bristled, small-headed toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste. As an alternative, you can use a powered toothbrush to increase your brushing effectiveness. Brush the outside and inside surfaces of your teeth using small, gentle, circular motions while positioning the head of the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to the gum line. Brush your teeth’s chewing surfaces and the inside surface of your front teeth using short, gentle, back-and-forth motions. Pay close attention to the areas around your brackets or other appliances.

Flossing with Braces

Flossing after every meal will help keep your teeth and braces clean, which will also help keep your treatment time on track. To floss with braces, use a floss threader or special orthodontic floss to thread the floss behind each wire. Wrap the ends of the floss around your pointer fingers of both hands, leaving a few inches of taught floss between them. Gently slide the floss between each set of teeth using a back and forth motion. Floss the sides of each tooth beneath the gum line to remove plaque and food particles. Repeat this process until you’ve flossed all of your teeth. If you find that your floss is not removing all of the food particles between your teeth and around your braces, ask us about a water flosser!

Oral Hygiene is Very Important 

Good hygiene is an essential part of keeping teeth and gums healthy during orthodontic treatment. Keeping braces and teeth clean will prevent tooth decay and clear away buildups of harmful plaque. Patients will need to become familiar with the types of food that are safe for braces. Making the right food choices will also help achieve optimal hygiene levels.

Make an Appointment Today

To speak with an orthodontist about your care needs, or to discuss concerns regarding braces care, schedule an appointment with Dr. Callahan, Dr. Flanagan, Dr. Smith, or Dr. Stock please call (315) 458-0020.