How To Clean Your Braces and Care for Them

First, congratulations on starting orthodontic treatment! Whether you’ve just got your braces or you’ve had them for some time, it’s important to understand how to keep them and your teeth clean. Knowing how to clean braces will help you keep your treatment on track and maintain your oral health.

Cleaning your braces can be tricky, which is why we’ve provided some helpful information to support you on your braces journey!

A healthy smile starts with great hygiene, especially when you have braces. Brushing and flossing the right way keeps your breath fresh and your teeth sparkling while preventing your treatment from being delayed due to damaged braces, gum disease, or other complications. Even if you do everything you can to keep your teeth and braces clean, you should visit your dentist every 6 months for professional cleanings. At home, you can use these tools and tips to keep your smile and braces in top shape!

Use a soft-bristled or electric toothbrush with a small head. Angle the bristles above and below each bracket, gently brushing in circular motions for at least two minutes. Be sure to brush after every meal to keep plaque from building up around your brackets and wires.

Traditional floss won’t cut it alone. Use a floss threader or orthodontic flosser to get under the archwire. Gently slide the floss between teeth, forming a “C” shape around each tooth to clean beneath the gum line. Aim to floss at least once a day.

These tiny, Christmas tree-shaped brushes are perfect for getting between brackets and wires. Slide them carefully under the wire and around the brackets to remove plaque and trapped food. They’re great for quick touch-ups throughout the day!

A water flosser like the Waterpik™ can be a game-changer. Use it on a low-to-medium setting to flush out food particles and plaque from hard-to-reach spots. It’s especially helpful if flossing feels frustrating or time-consuming.

Knowing what the parts of braces are can help make caring for your braces easier and also allow you to identify parts if they break or are lost. There are three main components to traditional braces that work together like a team to move your teeth into perfect alignment:

• Brackets: These small, square metal or ceramic pieces are attached to each tooth and act as anchors for the archwire. Use a soft-bristled or electric toothbrush to clean around the tops, bottoms, and sides of every bracket. Interdental brushes help reach tricky spots.

• Archwire: This thin metal wire connects all the brackets and gently moves your teeth over time. Floss underneath the archwire and where it connects to each bracket daily using a floss threader, or try a water flosser to flush away food that may stick to it.

• Elastic Bands: These tiny rubber bands hold the archwire in place on each bracket. Since food can easily cling to them, be extra thorough when brushing around them.

Some braces, called self-ligating braces, don’t require elastic bands, making it much easier to care for them and your teeth. Self-ligating braces like the ones offered by us at Cook Orthodontics are often smaller, more efficient, and more comfortable! We offer them in both metal and clear ceramic options.

You can enjoy plenty of delicious meals and snacks with braces! You’ll just need to make a few small tweaks to your diet to protect your brackets and wires from potential damage.

Foods that are perfectly fine to eat with your braces include softer foods, such as mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, yogurt, and soft fruits. Pasta, rice, soft bread, and cooked vegetables are also great options! We also recommend tender meats and seafood. 

You should avoid sticky foods like gum, caramel, and taffy because they can stick to your brackets, making your braces harder to clean and prone to damage. The same guidelines apply to crunchy and hard snacks and foods, like popcorn, nuts, and ice.

When in doubt, if you have to bite hard or tear with your front teeth, it’s safer to skip it!

If you’re looking for an advanced braces solution, Cook Orthodontics is the place for you! Our self-ligating braces are more comfortable, more hygienic, and can cut down on treatment times. We’re proud to offer the best braces available in Evansville, IN, and we can’t wait to get you started on your smile.

Schedule your complimentary consultation today and see what braces can do for your smile!