Proper Brushing & Flossing for Healthy Teeth
If you’re currently receiving orthodontic treatment, it’s more important than ever to practice proper brushing and flossing guidelines. Food particles can lodge in your braces and attract bacteria, which can form more easily next to the edges of your brackets.
This bacteria, mixed with the sugars and saliva in your mouth, can mean tooth decay, which means scarring and eroding of your teeth’s good enamel. Brushing and flossing are the best medicines for a healthy mouth.
At All About Braces, our staff understands that doing these simple tasks properly can protect your teeth and gums as well as reduce the bacteria that could lead to other diseases in your body.
The Benefits of Brushing
We want our all of our patients to have the best orthodontic experience possible. To make that happen, we need your help. Regularly brushing will keep the decomposing food particles in your teeth from producing bacteria. This dangerous bacteria can lead to painful tooth decay and other serious conditions. Brushing will also keep your gums healthy and disease-free.
Proper Flossing and Brushing Are Necessary for the Prevention of:
- Cavities made when bacteria dig holes in the enamel coating on your teeth. These gaps are magnets for infection if not treated.
- Gum disease (gingivitis), which can be painful and uncomfortable to treat
- Staining from certain foods, and especially beverages such as tea, that can stain your teeth
- Bad breath (halitosis), which is not only unpleasant for others, but it can also indicate serious health problems
Proper Flossing and Brushing Are Necessary for the Prevention of:
Cavities made when bacteria dig holes in the enamel coating on your teeth. These gaps are magnets for infection if not treated.
Gum disease (gingivitis), which can be painful and uncomfortable to treat
Staining from certain foods, and especially beverages such as tea, that can stain your teeth
Bad breath (halitosis), which is not only unpleasant for others, but it can also indicate serious health problems
The Right Way to Brush
Like the American Dental Association (ADA), All About Braces recommends you brush with a soft-bristled brush at least twice every day. There are many choices of toothbrushes and most are equal when it comes to effective brushing.
You should choose a brush that is appealing to you in color and style, has soft, rounded bristles, and is approved by the ADA. There is little difference between the effectiveness of a manual toothbrush and a powered brush
Oral water flossers may be helpful in removing loose food particles from brackets, but proper brushing is still required to remove plaque. We recommend you change your toothbrush every three to four months.
Steps for Proper Brushing
- Place the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle against the surface of the tooth where the gums and tooth meet.
- With small circular motions, gently brush the teeth and gums.
- Be careful not to apply too much pressure or scrubbing. This can damage the enamel of the teeth and the soft tissue of the gums.
Steps for Proper Brushing
Place the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle against the surface of the tooth where the gums and tooth meet.
With small circular motions, gently brush the teeth and gums.
Be careful not to apply too much pressure or scrubbing. This can damage the enamel of the teeth and the soft tissue of the gums.
Why Flossing Matters
Even though you think you’ve brushed really well, there will still be small bits of food and bacteria that are left between your teeth. When you floss, you are able to remove these pieces and any plaque from between your teeth.
These areas are hard to reach with a toothbrush. There are many types of available floss, but our Denver orthodontists recommend the wax-coated kind.
Basic Steps for Proper Flossing
- When flossing, make sure you clean the spaces between the teeth in the front and rear of your mouth. You may bleed a little at first. As you make flossing a regular habit, however, the bleeding should stop. If you continue to bleed following regular brushing and flossing, make an appointment with a dentist.
- Dispense a piece of floss about 17 to 18 inches long and wrap each end around the middle fingers of each hand. Keep wrapping the floss until you can place your index finger on the floss and they are four to five inches apart.
- Carefully, work the floss between the contacts of the teeth down toward the gums.
- Once the floss is past the contact, gently curve it around each individual tooth and move the floss up and down to remove debris.
Basic Steps for Proper Flossing
When flossing, make sure you clean the spaces between the teeth in the front and rear of your mouth. You may bleed a little at first. As you make flossing a regular habit, however, the bleeding should stop. If you continue to bleed following regular brushing and flossing, make an appointment with a dentist.
Dispense a piece of floss about 17 to 18 inches long and wrap each end around the middle fingers of each hand. Keep wrapping the floss until you can place your index finger on the floss and they are four to five inches apart.
Carefully, work the floss between the contacts of the teeth down toward the gums.
Once the floss is past the contact, gently curve it around each individual tooth and move the floss up and down to remove debris.
Contact Us With Questions
If you have any questions about brushing or flossing with braces, please give us a call at one of our three convenient locations in Aurora, Lakewood, and Denver. We’re sure to have an office close to you. We’re here to answer all of your orthodontic questions and help you get and KEEP that perfect smile you’ve been dreaming about.