Hey there, viewers!
A crooked smile brings on a whole lot of problems.
It can be the reason behind frequent headaches and tense muscles, as well as ear and jaw
pain.
Getting braces can set it right, but this introduces a whole new set of challenges.
Especially when it comes to cleaning your teeth.
In today's video, we’ll talk about how to brush and floss with braces.
Should you use an electric toothbrush?
What about brightening toothpaste?
What kind of mouthwash is best?
Get ready for all that AND more...
I. Brushing
I know, braces can make you really insecure.
They can even stop you from smiling when you’re in public.
A few might cover their mouth to avoid the embarrassment of bad breath, yellow teeth,
and leftover food.
Here are some things to keep in mind the next time you're getting ready to brush.
1.
Invest Extra Time
Normally, brushing your teeth twice a day for 2 to 3 minutes would be perfectly fine.
But that’s not enough when you have braces.
You really need to grind hard, literally!
With wires all around your teeth, it leaves more room for bacteria and food particles
to hide.
Reaching these slits and corners can be difficult, and may take up a little more of your time.
But don't worry, your teeth will thank you afterwards.
If you have braces, be prepared to spend extra time in front of your sink.
You will have to brush 3 times a day to get the plaque off.
Before you start, make sure you take out all elastic bands and removable parts from your
mouth.
Have you ever worn braces?
How long did you have them for?
Was it an adjustment?
Sound off in the comments below, and start a conversation with our Bestie community...
2.
Use Regular Toothpaste
Any flavored toothpaste will work fine.
Just make sure to avoid brightening toothpaste.
Brightening toothpaste works on regular teeth.
If you have braces, it will only whiten the parts of your teeth that aren’t covered
by brackets.
When your braces finally come off, you’ll be left with dark spots on your teeth.
Your smile will only look worse.
Don’t use whitening mouthwash with braces either.
You can try all these things once they come off.
Looking for answers on all the latest health and wellness news?
Hit that “subscribe” button, and join our millions of followers.
Stay up to date on all our great Bestie content…
3.
Brush In Three Directions
This one’s really important.
Start by going along the top of your braces in small circular movements from one side
to the other.
Then do the same thing under your braces.
At the end, brush right on top of those metal wires and brackets.
Once that’s done, start brushing the surfaces of your teeth.
Begin with your front teeth all the way until you reach the last tooth.
Don’t forget to clean the inner surface of your teeth facing the tongue.
4.
Electric Brushes
Reaching every corner of your tooth with a manual toothbrush may seem like a task.
Feel free to use an electric toothbrush.
They get more work done with less effort, plus the results are great.
Research has also shown that electric brushes have a greater potential for cleaning teeth
than manual ones.
A few brushes are specially designed for braces.
Powered brushes are gentle on them, as they work at a slower speed.
Swollen and bleeding gums are going to happen if you forget to brush around the gums.
Hard brushes and bad brushing techniques will only make things worse.
Powered brushes go easy on your gum line, keeping them pink and clean.
Give a quick rinse, and carefully examine every tooth in the mirror.
Check for any stubborn food particles that won’t leave.
This generally includes salad, shreds of carrot, cucumber, meat and fruits.
5.
Proxa Brushes Some of you might be wondering what this is…
You will need a Proxa brush to get rid of the tough food particles.
The head of this flexible brush bends to fit inside tight spaces.
Brush the underside of the wire that faces your tooth.
If you want your mouth to feel fresh, use some minty toothpaste.
6.
Mouthwashes
I know I said a minute ago that you should avoid whitening mouthwash.
Well that’s a specific kind that can do damage to your braces.
This doesn’t mean there aren’t other useful types.
Maybe use some mild mouthwash.
It has terrific antibacterial properties.
But make sure you do it a little while after brushing.
Perhaps use some mouthwash after finishing your meal?
Before we continue, here’s something that might interest you.
Your teeth are not the only things that require cleaning.
Your ears need special care as well.
Watch these 4 home remedies for removing ear wax.
Now back to our talk on how to clean your teeth with braces…
Flossing
Some of you are cringing at just the thought of having to floss.
Yes, flossing can be annoying, but it’s just so important.
If you skip out on flossing, you’ll only be harboring more bacteria and germs.
The problem is that when you have braces, flossing becomes one heck of a chore.
What’s usually a pretty simple task turns into what feels like a hard day's work.
You need to floss at least once on a daily basis.
If you have braces, they can take a good 10 to 15 minutes to do.
Let’s get into some of the details so we can make flossing easier for you.
Procedure
Take around 18 to 24 inches of floss.
Make sure it’s enough to wind around your fingers.
This way, you’re able to handle it easier.
Wrap the ends of the floss around both index fingers and move it gently between your teeth.
When I mean gentle, I mean be gentle.
Try to reach the topmost part of the tooth if you’re cleaning the upper front teeth.
Slide the floss down from the topmost part of the tooth to the side.
Don’t Panic In Case Of Accidents
Accidents happen when you floss.
No, I’m not talking about breaking the string.
Although, that is pretty frustrating.
This accident is specific to people with braces.
If you pull the floss forcefully, you may pop a bracket out.
This may not be an emergency, but call your dentist anyway, and see if you can get it
fixed.
Floss Threader
Being able to pass floss between the wire and tooth is a bit tricky.
Using a small floss threader can come in handy.
It looks like a big plastic needle.
This will help you pass the floss behind the braces quickly.
Your orthodontist may have a free sample in case you’re having difficulty.
Dental Tape
Flossing is not for everybody.
If you have sensitive gums, which are already swollen and bleeding, flossing them can worsen
the situation.
Instead, try using dental tape.
Dental tape is like a flattened ribbon.
Unlike the traditional floss, it acts as a sponge.
Dental tape will slide much easier than typical floss.
Use it until your gums stop bleeding.
Once they’ve returned to normal, switch over to floss.
Water Flosser
Just like electric brushes have an edge over manual brushing, water flossers have one over
regular floss.
It’s a small device that pours a steady stream of water.
Any person with or without braces can use it to get rid of debris between the teeth.
Water flossers are pretty convenient.
They come with detachable heads and generally, the tips are suitable to clean around your
brackets.
This machine has a water holder that can be filled with warm water, tap water, or even
mouthwash.
Glide the nozzle in between your teeth and gums.
Bend over the sink and keep your mouth closed to avoid splashing.
Let the water flow out of your mouth while doing this.
Repeat this process for all surfaces of your teeth.
You can also try gently brushing with one hand, and pouring water from the flosser with
the other.
Don’t Miss Your Dentist Appointment
Even after carefully cleaning your teeth, there may still be some bacteria hanging around.
This is the kind of thing your dentist needs to look at.
Schedule a cleaning appointment.
Specialized instruments and machinery at the dentist’s office can get rid of all the
gross leftovers.
If you have braces, it’s suggested you book an appointment once every 3 months.
It's not enough to just have strong teeth.
You need healthy gums as well.
A receding gum line can be a real concern.
Check out our video on how to treat your receding gums at home naturally.
Does it hurt your gums while brushing?
Well you can also try 16 expert techniques to stop your bleeding gums.
Go ahead, click one.
Or better yet, watch both, and learn more about how to take care of your smile.
How do you clean your braces?
Let us know in the comments below!