How to Brush Teeth with Braces

Brushing your teeth when you have braces isn’t that much different than brushing your teeth without braces. Use a soft bristle toothbrush or power toothbrush. You still brush for a full two minutes. You still replace your toothbrush every 3 months, or sooner since the brackets on your braces might make the bristles wear down a little faster. You still brush around all the parts of your teeth, including the fronts, sides, backs, and chewing surfaces. And you still brush your tongue and roof of your mouth. An end-rounded bristle toothbrush works well for brushing braces, and your dentist might prescribe fluoride toothpaste to help you fight tooth decay even more. Brush gently but thoroughly. If your braces look clean and shiny and if you can see the edges of the brackets clearly, you’ve done a good job! Make sure to rinse your mouth after brushing with water, or with a mouth rinse. Ask your orthodontist for a recommendation.

How to Clean Between Teeth with Braces

Having wires that connect your braces from tooth to tooth makes flossing a challenge. But it can be done. You just need to take your time, be careful and get under the gum line. A floss threader may help. A floss threader is a tool that allows dental floss to get underneath the archwires easily. There are a lot of other interdental cleaners that might be even easier for you to use.