What's that in my teeth? How long has it been there?
How many people have I seen? Why
didn't anyone tell me?
Nobody likes to look in the mirror
and see something stuck in their teeth. Not to mention the feeling of being stuck
without dental floss when you need it.
When you have braces, flossing is a
little more complicated. How can you make sure you're getting a good clean with
all that extra equipment in there? Keep reading to find out how to floss with
braces on.
Why
You Should Floss With Braces On?
If you and your orthodontist have
decided braces are right for you, their benefits probably outweigh the risks.
Taking care of your teeth and braces can help you stay healthy. This includes regular brushing, fluoride treatments, and
flossing.
Every time you eat or drink, parts
of that food and beverage stick to your teeth. Brushing takes care of surfaces.
Flossing your teeth cleans out the
spaces your toothbrush can't reach. Tiny pieces of food and bacteria like to
hide out in between your teeth and braces spaces. Failure to floss can lead to
gum disease, bad breath, yellowing teeth, and/or cavities.
Protect
Your Investment
Braces are an investment in your
health. When considering how much braces cost at Premier Orthodontics, for example, the cost of braces may seem high. Once you
decide to get braces, taking proper care of them helps you get the most out of
your investment.
Habits of brushing and flossing
braces protect your investment and your overall health.
Getting
the Right Tools
Does it seem too complicated to
floss with braces on? Without the right tools, you're setting yourself up to fail.
Flossing without the right kind of floss can lead to threads caught in your
braces.
If your experiences with braces and
flossing are frustrating, you're not likely to make flossing a habit.
Wax
On
Before you grab that floss, make
sure you're getting waxed. Dental floss without wax is more likely to get
caught on your braces. Once caught, the unwaxed threads start to unravel.
This could lead to little bits of
tiny floss thread stuck in braces brackets. If you thought getting them stuck
there was uncomfortable, try removing them! As you can imagine, it's a
frustrating process.
Waxed dental floss glides better
through brackets without getting stuck and shredded.
Water
Flosser
Sometimes flossing with braces on
leaves behind some unpleasant aftermath in your mouth. After you've completed
flossing, use the power of hydration to flush it all away.
Water flossers have a water
reservoir, power source, and a handheld unit that fits in your mouth. When
turned on, the water sprays out into your mouth with pressure.
Water flossers give a power rinse to
leave your mouth feeling free of tiny food bits and loosened plaque.
Interdental
Brush
An interdental brush looks like a
tiny pipe cleaner with a handle. It fits between braces spaces to clear away
plaque and bits of food. Interdental brushes shouldn't be a replacement for
flossing or brushing.
Take interdental brushes with you as
an on-the-go option when you can't get a full brush or floss in. They're also
great to use before you start your brush or floss. Talk to your orthodontist
about the best times for you to use your interdental brush.
Some may even suggest adding
toothpaste or fluoride to your tiny little tool.
Floss
Threaders
If you don't like slippery floss
threading by hand, try a floss threader. Floss threaders have a loop on the top
and come together on the bottom. Think of them as large, dull, and flexible
sewing needles.
You can place the floss through the
open head, and thread the small part where you want the floss to go. Finally,
catch the floss on the other side of your tooth or bracket. Now you have the
floss where you need it, without frustrating finger slips.
How
to Floss With Braces On
Once you've found your favorite
floss (with wax!), you can give your teeth a good clean. Use these five easy
steps as a guide to flossing with braces.
1.
Break it Off
To set yourself up for success,
break off a strip of dental floss no smaller than 12 inches.
2.
Thread it Through
Using your fingers or a floss
threader, place the floss between your tooth and the main braces wire. Slide
the floss through the space so you are each hand is holding one end of the
floss.
3.
Slide it Around
With floss ends gently around each
finger, guide your piece of floss between the two teeth closest to your floss.
Going behind one of the teeth, slide the floss on the other side of the tooth
and back to the front. This should make a "U" shape around the back
of the tooth.
4.
Floss Up and Down
From here, make the same gliding
motions up and down the tooth gaps as you would without braces. The friction
between your teeth cleans out plaque and unwanted residue.
5.
Remove and Repeat
Once you've finished cleaning that
space, repeat the process for each tooth. Flossing with braces the right way
will take longer than flossing without braces. Give yourself time to get a good
clean each time you floss. You may need to reload with new pieces of floss a
few times before you're finished.
Make
Flossing Fun
Never cared for flossing before the dance craze?
Who says you can't make both kinds of flossing fun? Try pairing your dental
floss time with something you like.
Listen to your favorite podcast or
music while flossing.
