Cleaning your brace effectively requires specific tools and techniques to ensure all areas around the brackets, wires, and teeth are clean.
Maintaining good oral hygiene with braces is crucial for preventing cavities and gum problems during your orthodontic treatment. While regular brushing and flossing are essential, your braces add extra areas where food particles and plaque can hide.
Essential Tools for Brace Cleaning
Beyond your standard toothbrush and toothpaste, certain tools are particularly helpful for navigating the hardware of your braces:
- Regular Soft-Bristled Toothbrush: Used for general cleaning of tooth surfaces.
- Small Toothbrush: Specifically designed for detailed cleaning around braces.
- Interdental Brush: A tiny brush perfect for cleaning in tight spaces.
- Floss or Orthodontic Flosser: Necessary for cleaning between teeth and under wires.
Step-by-Step Detailed Brace Cleaning
Effective cleaning involves carefully reaching areas that are easily missed with a standard brush. Here’s how you can use specialized tools for detailed cleaning based on expert recommendations:
- Begin with General Brushing: Start by brushing your teeth with a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste, angling the brush to clean above and below the brackets.
- Use a Small Toothbrush for Detail: For more thorough cleaning around your orthodontic appliances, use a small toothbrush. A toothbrush with a small, round head is particularly helpful for getting around brackets and along the gum line, reaching areas where regular brushing may miss.
- Clean Under the Wires with an Interdental Brush: Food particles and plaque can easily get trapped under the wires connecting your brackets. Use an interdental brush to meticulously clean under the wire and between the brackets. Gently slide the brush through these spaces.
- Floss Carefully: Flossing with braces requires extra effort. Use a floss threader or orthodontic floss designed to get under the wire to clean between your teeth.
- Rinse: Finish by rinsing your mouth thoroughly with water or an antiseptic mouthwash recommended by your orthodontist.
Regular and meticulous cleaning, using the right tools like a small toothbrush for detailed areas and an interdental brush for cleaning under wires and between brackets, is key to keeping your teeth and gums healthy throughout your time in braces.
