We all know that the most important part of dental hygiene is brushing your teeth. When you have braces, properly brushing your teeth is just as important to achieving a bright, beautiful smile. Brushing with braces isn’t difficult, but there are some important things to remember. Check out our Brushing with Braces 101.

When you wear braces, it’s easy to miss the buildup of food and bacteria on your teeth that causes cavities. Make sure that you don’t skip brushing in the morning and before bed – and after meals, when possible.

Here is everything you’ll need:

Before you get down to brushing and flossing, give your mouth a quick rinse by swishing water around your mouth. This helps to loosen food and other bacteria, which will make it easier to brush them away.

Now it’s time to really get down to business. Put your toothpaste on your toothbrush and gently start brushing along your gum line. Be sure to pay close attention to the angle of your toothbrush. Shift the brush so that you can reach all surfaces of your teeth and your brackets. Make sure to get in between and under the brackets and wires. Take your time and really focus on getting each individual tooth clean.

We often hear that flossing is the most difficult skill to master with braces. But – it is very important. One way to make flossing easier – and quicker – is to use a floss threader. The floss threader will make it easier to reach all of the surfaces of your teeth and maneuver around your braces. A Waterpik can be another helpful option to clean in between your teeth using water pressure. But keep in mind a Waterpik is not a replacement for flossing.

Once you’ve brushed and flossed, give your mouth another rinse to rid your mouth of any stray food bits or bacteria. Use an antibacterial mouthwash to help even more!

Now that you know the best way to brush with braces, make sure you stick with it. If you find it difficult at first, that’s okay. Practice makes perfect. Keep brushing, flossing, and following Dr. Jolley’s instructions, and you’ll have a perfect, straight, bright smile before you know it! If you need to make an appointment or have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us.