SEE YOUR REGULAR DENTIST
You still need to see your general dentist while you are under orthodontic treatment so he or she can look for any problems and to clean your teeth, which are more prone to plague buildup while you are under orthodontic treatment. We recommend you visit your general dentist at least every twelve months.
BRUSHING AND FLOSSING
Brushing and flossing your teeth while you have braces or are using other orthodontic appliances is more of a challenge than it was before your orthodontic treatment started but brushing and flossing are even more essential for oral hygiene because braces and other appliances, such as clear aligners and retainers, trap food particles facilitating buildup of plaque. Daily maintenance, regular visits to your dentist for professional cleaning and an appropriate diet are necessary to keep your teeth and gums healthy.
You can also use an electric toothbrush, at a moderate setting, as well and specialized tools such as an interdental toothbrush or an irrigator (“water pick”) can be used to clean trouble areas, but these latter two are not substitutes for brushing. Ultimately, however, the most important thing is to use a toothbrush that you will use.
CHOOSE YOUR TOOTHBRUSH
The first step in brushing when you are in orthodontic treatment is the same as in brushing in general – choosing the tool you will use to clean your teeth. Traditional brushes are sufficient and the best choices are a soft bristle or bi-level brush. As the name implies, soft bristle brushes are less stiff (rigid) than medium or hard or medium bristle fibers/brushes so they’re less likely to harm your gums or tooth enamel than hard of medium brushes. The downside is that they’re less effective in removing particles from your teeth so you must be diligent when using them. A bi-level tooth brush has bristles of different lengths, shorter in the middle and longer at the edges. They come in a variety of brush ratings (soft, medium, etc.).
HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU BRUSH YOUR TEETH?
Dr. Trandem, and most Orthodontists, recommend brushing at least twice a day.
WHICH FLOSS?
Waxed floss is recommended for use for orthodontic patients since as it is less likely to get caught on your braces. Floss threaders and threader floss can facilitate insertion of floss between your teeth. Dental tape is a suitable alternative to floss which some patients find easier to use than floss.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU FLOSS
Dr. Trandem recommends flossing at least once a day during treatment.
BRUSHING AND FLOSSING TECHNIQUE
Brushing and flossing correctly when you have braces will insure that you attain the maximum benefits of cleaning your teeth and keep them and your gums healthy. The goal in doing so is to remove particles caught on and around your brackets and wires, clean your brackets and wires themselves as well cleaning your teeth and gumline as you normally would.
CLEANING REMOVABLE ALIGNERS AND RETAINERS
Its also important to clean orthodontic appliances such as removable aligners (Invisalign) and retainers since these devices can accumulate bacteria which can lead to plague and tooth decay
