How to Keep Your Teeth Clean When Wearing Braces

Wearing Braces? Here are some tips on how to keep your teeth clean

Cleaning your teeth and maintaining oral hygiene is an easy part of your every day routine. However when you have a brace, particularly a fixed brace such as six month smiles, it can become more difficult. The good news is – There are ways to make it easier and less time consuming with some of our best tips.

ixed Brace like 6 month smiles

Fixed braces such as 6 month smile are bonded to the teeth which mean they cannot be removed until the end of treatment (this could be anything from 3 – 12 months) the wire placed over the teeth means you are no longer able to floss as you usually would.

What can I use to floss between my teeth when wearing a fixed brace?

There are a number of alternatives to usual floss

Tepe Brushes

Use a straight interdental brush between the front teeth. Insert the brush gently between your teeth. Do not force the brush into a space; work it in gently or choose a smaller size. Move the interdental brush full length back and forth a few times.

If you use a small interdental brush (pink, orange, red or blue) you may curve the soft neck slightly by adding pressure with your finger to make it easier to reach between the back teeth.

Interdental one tuft brush

A single tufted brush is a toothbrush with a very small head which can be used to clean wisdom teeth and crooked teeth effectively. There are various shapes of brush head. The effectiveness of cleaning by different shapes of the brush head is similar.

 Waterjet toothbrush

A waterjet toothbrush is a jet wash for the mouth, using pressurized water to clean plaque and food debris from between the teeth and around the gum margin.

What kind of tooth brush should I use when I have a fixed brace?

Electric toothbrushes are great as they remove up to 10 times more plaque than a manual toothbrush but not recommended for use on a fixed brace. There are also specially designed manual toothbrushes available specifically for people with fixed braces. These brushes feature a V shape feature of the bristles which allows the brush to clean the teeth and brace. Normal manual brushes are also ok to use as long as you spend the correct amount of time cleaning roughly .

What is a disclosing tablet?

A disclosing tablet is almost like a plaque detector. Usually available in bright luminous colours such as bright pink/red/blue tablets. You chew the tablet after brushing the teeth. The harmless dye inside the tablet is designed to stick to any remaining plaque on the teeth, highlighting anywhere you have missed, or haven’t spent enough time cleaning.

Should I use a mouthwash?

Mouthwashes are good for people with a fixed brace to use in general as a lot of mouthwashes contain fluoride, this helps protect the teeth against decay. It can also be used to rinse the mouth out once you have eaten – this could also be done with a glass of water after each meal

Diet

The fixed braces are glued on to your teeth. The glue is deliberately designed not to be strong so the braces can be removed without causing damage to your teeth. The downside is that your braces can come away from your teeth if you eat anything hard. When the brace breaks off a tooth or any teeth, your brace may not function as it should do. This will increase your treatment time; hence you need to wear your braces for longer than you need to.

Anything chewy can damage your brace. Use your common sense! The usual suspects are biting into apple, raw carrot and toffee. Also crusty bread and pizza crust should be avoided. Chewing gums of any kind are an absolute no no! DO NOT HAVE CHEWING GUM! The other things that can break your braces are lollipops, ice-lollies and popcorn. If you fancy an apple or carrot, cut them into thin slices before eating.
Acidic juices can dissolve the enamel of your teeth. With fixed braces on, these juices damage the enamel a lot quicker as the brace acts as a reservoir to keep the juice in contact with the enamel for a longer period of time. Acidic drinks include fizzy juices, diluted squash juices, most fruit juices and flavoured water. If you have to drink any of those, limit them to your meal times, use a straw and try to rinse your mouth after drinking. The best drinks are plain water and milk. Remember, any drink that has a taste, it is probably due to it being acidic.

Will I have to brush my teeth more than usual?

It is recommended that you brush after every meal when wearing a fixed brace as you are more prone to tooth decay. It is usually advised to carry a spare toothbrush and/or Tepe brushes in your bag.

Am I more prone to decay with fixed braces?

Yes, teeth are more prone to get decay with fixed braces as its more difficult to clean. This is why it is so important to spend extra time cleaning.

Removable Braces such as Invisalign and Smilelign

Removable braces such as Smilelign and Invisalign make you able to clean your teeth as you usually would. Removable brace do not affect flossing or tooth brushing techniques. Although this is a benefit it does not mean you shouldn’t take extra care when brushing and flossing.

Perfect Smile Spa based in Hornchurch Essex is a Leading Cosmetic Dental practice and is dedicated to PAINLESS dentistry. We carry out many orthodontic treatments like Invisalign, Smilelign and Six month smiles. All of our Cosmetic Dentists are based in Essex.

Call us for a free consultation on 01708 442 114 or email care@perfectsmilespa.co.ukHow to Keep Your Teeth Clean When Wearing Braces was last modified: July 2nd, 2018 by Dr Jas Sagoo