Pretty much everyone knows that flossing your teeth with braces is not a simple task. The metal wires form an obstacle for moving the dental floss up and down between your teeth. Not only that, it’s difficult to reach your gumline when flossing. If you wear braces and give up on flossing, you are putting your oral health at risk. Luckily there are some tricks to help you floss so that you can maintain a healthy and clean smile.
First, before you even begin flossing, use an anti-plaque rinse to help clean your teeth. Rinse vigorously for about thirty seconds before spitting it out. This will help loosen food particles and plaque that have become trapped in your braces.
Once you’re ready to floss, consider using tools that are available to help make flossing with braces easier. One such tool is an orthodontic pick or flosser. These are plastic wands that are already strung with dental floss. Orthodontic flossers have a thin arm that can slide under the archwires and allow you to reach the gumline. The other end of the flosser contains a pick for you to use to eliminate food or plaque from your brackets. This type of flossing tool helps you reach all of your teeth and do a thorough job.
Another product to help you clean your teeth while wearing braces is a waterflosser. It sprays a pressurized stream of water that gets rid of debris and plaque between your teeth. This handheld tool is easy to use and also can target bacteria below your gumline. Many orthodontists recommend waterflossers, especially for patients who are unwilling to use traditional dental floss to clean their teeth and braces.
There is no argument that flossing plays a vital role in your oral health. Wearing braces is no excuse to neglect this element of your dental hygiene routine. By following some of these steps to make the task easier, you can still have clean teeth and gums while your smile is being improved with braces.
Dr. Fotovat is an orthodontist that provided braces to patients in the Sherman Oaks, CA area.
