Brushing With Braces

When you learned to independently brush your teeth you were probably around 2 years old. Your mom and dad probably taught, demonstrated and modeled proper brushing techniques for you so you could get optimal results from your twice-daily oral routine. Props to parents who place an important emphasis on proper dental care.

Now that you have braces on, it’s time to step back and re-evaluate your brushing technique and make some appropriate adjustments while your teeth are undergoing the adjustment process as well. Brushing your teeth with braces on adds a new dynamic to your tooth navigation. If you’re a parent, you may need to step in and offer further assistance and encouragement for your brace-wearing child.

Brushing Techniques While Wearing Braces

1. Rinse your mouth before brushing to remove or loosen any food particles that are lodged in or around your braces.
2. Gently brush your gum line using a 45-degree angle. Do not rub too hard, gentle strokes with a soft-bristle toothbrush are optimal.
3. Position your toothbrush on top of your braces angling down, and then repeat the process angling up. This ensures you’re cleaning the top and bottom portions of your braces and the teeth located beneath each one.
4. Utilize a soft pick brush if there are tight spaces that are difficult to reach.
5. Don’t forget to finish with thorough floss one time per day. You may need to use a floss threader to navigate through the braces.

Come see us at Broad Street Braces to discover how we are Philly’s premier orthodontic specialists for children, teens and adults.