Your regular flossing and brushing would not be enough to keep your braces as clean as they should be.
Braces have so many parts like the brackets, ligature, archwires and metal bands, and these parts need to be properly taken care of to avoid unnecessary issues. With braces, it is necessary to brush after every meal and if you are in a hurry, make sure to carry a floss or mouthwash with you.
But also remember to always remove elastic bands before brushing or flossing. If you are having a hard time cleaning your braces or you are still new to braces, check out these amazing tools for cleaning teeth with braces as recommended by our expert orthodontics team at Angel Orthodontics.
Teeth cleaning tools for braces
Types of Floss for Braces
There are wires on your braces that prevent traditional floss from getting into the gum line. These floss can help you clean in between your teeth where most plague is trapped while easily getting around the brace wires.
- SuperflossThis is a pre-cut strand of floss that has a plastic threader on the end. This method is very easy to manoeuvre as it does not require you to thread a loop. This product also comes with regular floss for narrow spaces and a spongy section for cleaning wider spaces.
- GUM Soft-PicksThese interproximal flossers are made of flexible, soft rubber bristles which feature a tapered design that easily fits into adjoining spaces like those created by orthodontic appliances.
- Water or Air FlossersThese flosses do not need traditional floss at all. Water flossers and air flossers make use of air or water pressure to dislodge food particles and remove plagues from gums and teeth. This method massages the gum line and is also more effective than using regular floss.
- Floss threaderA plastic threader provides for a loop where you put a strand of floss and a stiff point that you put in-between your teeth at the gum line. Pull the threader all the way through then it sets the floss in a way that it is ready to use. After a little practice, you should be perfect in using a floss threader.
Best Toothbrushes for Braces
It is very important to select a toothbrush that is specially designed to tackle cracks and crevices that braces create because braces provide for places where plague and food debris tend to hide. This would make the most appropriate brace cleaning tool for you.
- Electric Toothbrush with Ortho Brush Head
This is an electric toothbrush with a circular ortho brush designed to clean the braces gently but very effectively. Unlike traditional brushes which can be too hard on your braces, ortho brushes can gently travel around the gum line, brackets, and wires of the braces.
- Proxy Brush (Interproximal Brush)
A proxy brush has a compact, triangular shape brush head that is designed to get in-between the necks of teeth. The brush bristles look like a tapered pipe cleaner and are perfect for reaching under the wires of braces. Proxy brushes come in different sizes and are ideal and effective for both flossing and brushing.
You can also get professional advice on which tool that would be most appropriate for you and how to take care of your teeth with braces right here.