Lee Orthodontics

3 Essential Tips for Flossing With Braces

Posted on September 20, 2022

braces

When you have braces, it’s important to clean between your teeth to prevent plaque build-up. Plaque can irritate your teeth and gums and affect the alignment of your teeth. Along with regular tooth brushing, using dental floss can help keep your mouth healthy and prolong the life of your dental work. Read on to identify three essential tips for flossing with braces.

1. Supervise Your Child’s Flossing Routine

Some parents wait until their children are in their teens to start treatment because they are waiting for baby teeth to fall out. However, young age doesn’t have to hinder your child from getting a beautiful smile. According to the American Association of Orthodontists, kids should start orthodontic treatment as early as seven to ensure lifelong good oral health. Often, orthodontists recommend braces for young kids. Navigating life with braces for your child may seem daunting, so the parent needs to monitor their oral hygiene. Ensure your child flosses daily and correctly. Parents with younger kids may have to floss their child’s teeth for them.

2. Use a Waxed Floss

Flossing with braces can be tricky, but it’s crucial if we want to end up with straight and healthy teeth. You probably have tight braces in the finishing stages of your brace journey. Getting floss between the brackets without getting stuck can prove challenging. However, a string of waxed floss is fortified and quickly goes through between the teeth. Use a floss threader to pass the waxed floss under and through hard-to-reach locations in the mouth. Getting dental floss into such areas would be difficult without a floss threader.

3. Water Flosser

Using water floss is the perfect way to disrupt harmful oral bacteria. It also helps prevent cavities and decalcification around the brace brackets, a common problem for people that wear braces for an extended period. When using it to clean the dentures, move the water floss around the brackets of the braces. Move the water floss over the gumline while following it as closely as possible. While at home, you don’t have the luxury of suction. Lean over the sink to avoid making a mess.

Waxed floss and a threader ease the flossing process for people with braces. They should also use a water flosser to remove water plaque along the gumline. To achieve good oral health for your child with braces, ensure that they floss daily and with the correct method. Call us today for an oral health consultation, we’d be happy to help!