girl with braces using an interdental brush in her bathroom

A Little Extra Care Gives You the Best Results

It can take a little extra time to clean your teeth and gums when you have braces. Plaque forms on your teeth, braces, and appliances if you do not remove food particles after you eat. This can lead to bad-breath, tooth decay, and gum disease. Modifying your diet is also important, as sugary drinks and foods can damage the tooth surfaces and gum tissue. The extra effort you put in to keep your mouth clean and healthy is worth it, because it will reduce discomfort, prevent white spots or decay from forming on the teeth under and around the braces and appliances, and ensure you have the best possible outcome!

How to Maintain Oral Hygiene During Orthodontic Treatment

  • Brush and Floss Thoroughly

  • Use Flouride Products

  • Clean Removable Appliances

  • Keep Seeing Your Dentist

closeup of a toothbrush and braces with red and green elastics

A Little Extra Care Gives You the Best Results

It can take a little extra time to clean your teeth and gums when you have braces. Plaque forms on your teeth, braces, and appliances if you do not remove food particles after you eat, which leads to bad-breath, tooth decay, and gum disease. Modifying your diet is also important as sugary drinks and foods can damage the tooth surfaces and gum tissue. The extra effort you put in to keep your mouth clean and healthy is worth it, because it will reduce discomfort, prevent white spots or decay from forming on the teeth under and around the braces and appliances, and ensure you have the best possible outcome!

Teeth Brushing Tips

Use a soft toothbrush and toothpaste with fluoride
Brush under gumline in circular motion at 45° angle
Clean front and back surface of each tooth entirely
Brush the surface of every tooth for at least 10 seconds
Clean above, below, and between the brackets
Entire process should take at least 4-5 minutes
Brush in the morning, at night, and after each meal
Use fluoride mouth rinse and floss once per day
boy with braces flossing

How to Floss When You Have Braces

The best time to floss is after brushing your teeth before bed, to remove any plaque you may have missed. Flossing is more difficult with braces, but it is also much more important. We suggest using SuperFloss when you have braces, as this floss has a stiff end to thread underneath the wires. Discover how to use SuperFloss and learn more about other practical tools for cleaning teeth with braces by clicking each item below.

Helpful Hygiene Tools

  • sample of Interdental Brush

    Interdental Brush

  • sample of Electric Toothbrush

    Electric Toothbrush

  • sample of SuperFloss

    SuperFloss

  • sample of Waterpik

    Waterpik

flouride rinse sitting by the bathroom sink

Flouride Products Protect Your Teeth

Fluoride is an antibacterial agent which also strengthens any tooth enamel that has been exposed to bacterial acids. We recommend that all our patients use over-the-counter fluoride toothpaste and rinses (like ACT). If plaque removal proves to be more difficult, we can prescribe a toothpaste and/or rinse with a higher concentration of fluoride. Swish with fluoride rinse for at least one minute at bedtime. Do not drink or eat for at least 30 minutes after using the rinse. Fluoride rinses alone are not a substitute for using toothpaste.

Invisalign soaking in a glass

Clean Appliances and Removable Devices

Just like your teeth, orthodontic appliances tend to accumulate food particles and plaque. Every time you brush your teeth, make sure to brush all the fixed devices in your mouth and any removable appliances you may have. It’s good to soak your removable appliances once a week in a glass of room temperature tap water with a denture-cleaning tablet such as Polident or Efferdent. This will help prevent plaque buildup and oral infections, while also keeping your appliance from developing a foul taste or smell.

happy boy getting a dental checkup

Visit Your Dentist Durning Orthodontic Treatment

Although you are having your braces checked regularly, it is very important to continue to see your family dentist at least every 6 months for a thorough examination and cleaning of your teeth. If you experience difficulty with good oral hygiene, you may need to see your dentist more frequently.