Maintaining excellent oral hygiene is crucial during your orthodontic treatment. With brackets and wires in place, food particles are more likely to get trapped, potentially leading to other dental issues if not properly managed. Here are some important tips to keep your braces clean and your teeth healthy. If you have any questions about caring for your braces, please don’t hesitate to contact our office.

• Brush after every meal: Braces can easily attract and trap food particles, which can cause staining and increase bacteria buildup. Brushing after each meal helps prevent these issues and keeps your teeth and braces clean.

• Floss with a threadable floss or floss threader: Using a floss threader, thread regular floss through the eye of the threader as you would with a sewing needle. Insert the pointed end of the threader or floss between the teeth, making sure to go below the archwire. Gently move it back and forth to thread the floss between your teeth. Once in place, floss the two teeth on either side of the insertion point, being careful not to apply too much force or pressure against the archwire. Repeat this process between all your teeth to ensure thorough cleaning.

To ensure optimal cleaning of your teeth and braces, follow these brushing techniques:

• Brushing with a regular soft brush:

Start by brushing down from the top of each tooth, then brush up from the bottom, ensuring you clean all areas around each bracket. This technique helps dislodge food particles and plaque that may be trapped by the brackets.

• Using a proxabrush (Christmas tree brush):

After brushing with a toothbrush, use a proxabrush to clean between each bracket. Insert the proxabrush between two brackets, below the archwire, and brush up and down several times.

Next, repeat this motion by inserting the brush from the opposite side, either down from the top or up from the bottom. This ensures all sides of the brackets and wires are thoroughly cleaned.