Overview
When you have braces penang, it is crucial for both your smile and your health that you brush and floss your teeth.
With brackets and wires in the way, flossing, or using wax-coated thread to clean between teeth, washes the difficult-to-reach areas that are easily missed by brushes. Use a small interproximal brush to clean beneath the wires and around the brackets, and floss once daily between each tooth.
Even though flossing takes longer with braces, don’t skip it. These flossing methods could facilitate a quicker and simpler procedure. Whatever method you decide on, it’s critical to floss frequently to avoid gum disease and tooth decay while your braces are straightening your teeth for a more attractive smile.
Standard flossing
This tried-and-true flossing technique is excellent for removing food and plaque from in between teeth, but it can be challenging for people who have braces. It takes time to thread the floss around the brackets and wire.
If you utilise this technique, allow yourself 10 to 15 minutes to floss your teeth. You only need waxed floss as a tool. Unwaxed floss has a tendency to rip and become stuck in metal brackets.
How to use regular floss while wearing braces
- Cut a length of floss between 18 and 24 inches.
- Between the primary wire and your teeth, thread the floss. Being in front of a mirror makes it easier to monitor the thread and make sure it is moving in the desired direction.
- To make handling the floss simpler, wrap the ends around your index fingers.
- Slide the floss up and down the sides of both teeth while gently pressing it between the two teeth. Make an upside-down U if you’re doing the top teeth: Follow the gumline up the side of one tooth, then follow it down the side of the other tooth.
- From under the wire, take out the floss and carefully unthread it. Don’t force the floss out of the tooth, please. The wire could unintentionally be knocked out of the bracket.
- Repeat the technique on the following set of teeth.
Oral irrigator or a Waterpik
A Waterpik is a special tool that cleans in between teeth and along the gum line by applying a constant spray of water. The average price of a water flosser is $50, while certain versions are more expensive. You just need three to five minutes to floss with this device because of how effectively the stream of water cleans your mouth.
Brands of Waterpiks with orthodontic tips are available. Compared to normal tips, these tapered tips can more easily clean in between teeth and around brackets.
How to use a Waterpik to floss
- Water should be added to the machine’s water reservoir. For an added antibacterial benefit, you can add mouthwash to the water. This is not necessary, though.
- Use the water flosser’s tapered tip. To test that the flosser is in good working order and that the water pressure is sufficient for you, press to send water through it.
- With your mouth open, lean over the sink and insert the flosser’s tip.
- Switch on the water flosser. To prevent water from splashing out of your mouth, purse your lips. While you are flossing, let the water drain from your mouth.
- Move the water stream between each tooth and along the gum line.
If you want to remove any food or debris, you can gently brush the tooth and the brackets.
Spray once more along the gumline and in between the teeth.
Each tooth should have this procedure repeated along the front and back.
When you’re done, drain the water from the reservoir and dry the flosser tip. To safeguard the tip, store in a container with a lid.
Needle threader
With a cheap but essential tool, you may speed up the conventional flossing technique. The name of this tiny, plastic gadget is a floss threader. You may effortlessly pull floss beneath the braces wire with the use of a floss threader.
Your dental hygiene regimen will take much less time if you use a floss threader. Floss threaders are available in the oral care department of supermarkets and pharmacies. Additionally, your orthodontist may have trial threaders that you can use before purchasing a whole bag.
How to floss while wearing braces with a floss threader
- Pull a piece of waxed floss between 18 and 24 inches long through the floss threader’s eye.
- Put the plastic needle’s point under the wire of your braces. Pull the floss slowly through the wire. With one hand, hold the floss threader.
- To have more control over the fine thread, wrap the floss around your index fingers.
- Slide the floss up and down the sides of both teeth while gently pressing it in between the two teeth. Make an upside-down U if you’re doing the top teeth: Follow the gumline up the side of one tooth, then follow it down the side of the other tooth.
- Pull the floss out from behind the wire and carefully remove it from the spaces in between the teeth.
- Repeat the procedure on the following set of teeth after rethreading the floss threader.
Tooth tape
Traditional flossing might be painful for some people. For those who did not regularly floss before having braces, this is especially true. When you initially begin flossing, unhealthy gums may bleed and feel bloated. The gums will become healthier with time, and flossing might not sting as much.
Think about using dental tape to floss when your gums are sensitive. It is soft and spongy to hold this ultrathin floss. It is both wider and thinner than ordinary floss. This makes it easier for it to slide between teeth.
Similar to how you would use conventional floss, use dental tape.
General advice for flossing while wearing braces
These basic practises are a wonderful approach to help you keep your pearly whites shining bright in addition to routine flossing.
Plan routine cleanings
While you are wearing braces, getting cleanings from a dental hygienist is a wonderful idea. They can assist prevent stains by thoroughly cleaning the area surrounding the brackets and hardware. Think about planning a cleaning once every three months.
Use non-whitening toothpaste instead
Even while you might believe that keeping your teeth white is a good idea, using whitening toothpaste while you brush could lead to issues down the road. Only the exposed portions of your teeth will be whitened because whitening agents cannot reach under the braces. You can have some off-white spots on each tooth after the brackets are removed.
Think about utilising an electric toothbrush.
Compared to standard manual brushes, electric toothbrushes clean more thoroughly, allowing you to achieve better results with less work. Electric toothbrushes might cost $100 or more, but ask your dentist if there are any discounts or coupons available.
Takeaway
A confident smile might be facilitated with braces. They may also lessen your likelihood of developing future oral health issues. However, maintaining good oral health while wearing braces is essential for a variety of reasons. Food and germs that can cause stains and cavities are removed by brushing and flossing. They can also stop gingivitis and other issues with oral health that might become serious in later life.
While maintaining your teeth while wearing braces may take some time, you’ll be grateful for the effort when the braces are removed and your smile is attractive and healthy.
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