How to Brush Your Teeth With Braces

When you have braces, brushing your teeth properly is highly important to ensure you get the best results from your treatment. Due to the design of braces, cleaning your teeth effectively can become a little tricky. Here at Central Orthodontics, we understand the importance of brushing your teeth properly during teeth straightening treatments. We’ve compiled all the information you need to know to brush your teeth effectively with braces below.

How to Brush Your Teeth With Braces Step-by-Step

You should first begin by brushing your teeth the same way you did before you had braces. We’ve compiled a short step by step on how to brush your teeth with a proper technique.

1. Rinse your toothbrush and apply your toothpaste of choice.
2. Position your toothbrush at a 45 degree angle to the gums and brush.
3. Hold your toothbrush in the same position but now brush the tops and bottom of your braces.
4. Gently move the brush in short circular motions over your braces and teeth.
5. Brush the front, back and all chewing surfaces of your teeth.
6. Brush your teeth thoroughly for around two minutes – 30 seconds per each quadrant of your mouth.
7. Remember to brush your tongue to keep your breath fresh and remove bacteria.
8. You may choose to rinse with mouthwash after this stage of brushing or after thoroughly brushing your braces.

This method can be transferred across all types of fitted braces including ceramic and Damon braces.

Once you’ve finished brushing your teeth and braces with your toothbrush, it’s time to use an interdental brush. You can get one of these from your orthodontist. Interdental brushes are shaped like a tiny bottle brush and make it easier to get into those harder to reach areas that having braces can create. This can be used to brush between your archwires and teeth.

• Start with your bottom teeth and move from one side of your mouth to the other. Use the interdental brush to brush all the spaces between brackets and underneath wires thoroughly.
• Complete this process again for your top teeth.

How to Brush Your Teeth With Braces Electric Toothbrush

To clean your teeth and braces with an electric toothbrush you should follow the same steps as above. However, we recommend choosing a softer bristled brush and opting for a slower setting to avoid causing damage to the brackets and wires. Should you experience any breakages of your brackets or wires, or sudden discomfort from your brace after brushing, you should book an appointment with your orthodontist as soon as possible.

Electric toothbrushes are known to clean gums and teeth much better than a manual toothbrush. This is because they allow for a much more thorough cleaning. Scientists have found that people who use an electric toothbrush experience less tooth decay and maintain healthier gums.

How to Keep Your Teeth Clean With Braces On 

Keeping your teeth nice and clean can become a little more challenging if you have fixed braces. Wires and brackets can create more areas for food residue to become trapped. We recommend cleaning your teeth thoroughly morning and night and also brushing them after each meal. This will help to remove any food that has become trapped in your braces and keep your teeth nice and clean.

Here at Central Orthodontics, we offer a range of orthodontic treatments from Damon to lingual braces. If you would like to have a brace fitted, we recommend booking a consultation with us to discuss your desired results and to help you decide which would be the best style of brace for you.