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You’ll need to brush your teeth and gums after each meal but only twice a day with toothpaste. At other times, you can use just the toothbrush. The brushing action dislodges food remnants. You’ll only need to use dental floss once a day (preferably before bed).
A conventional toothbrush with soft bristles is ideal for cleaning during your treatment, but a proper brushing technique is important. See images below for those proper techniques.
Place the toothbrush under the braces and brush with a circular motion several times.
Place the toothbrush at the top of the braces, with the bristles facing the gums and brush with the same circular motion.
Brush gently, with the bristles going lightly over the gums.
The entire surface of each tooth needs to be brushed. To be effective, brushing needs to last for at least two minutes. It is also important that you gently brush your tongue and palate.
One of the easiest ways to help clean between your teeth, as well as the braces and metal wires, is to use a small bristle brush called a Proxabrush. You’ll need to brush up and down with it, with the point facing away from the gums, to avoid damaging the gums. This up-and-down movement should be done carefully so that the handle of the brush does not touch the metal wire or the braces and loosen them. All items discussed on this page document are available at the pharmacy.
You should use dental floss once a day, preferably at bedtime. A floss threader is necessary to help you floss properly.
The threader is used like a sewing needle, to insert the floss underneath the wire between teeth. Once the floss is under the wire, slide the floss between the teeth and around them in the way you would normally do it.
In some cases, a fluoride mouth rinse may also be prescribed. It should be used in addition to the basic oral hygiene described above.