Appointments: (916) 428-5555
Brushing with Orthodontics Appliances Aims and Goals
Our aim is to get your teeth straight as soon as we can so that your braces will not be on for longer than they need to, and have your teeth and gums in a healthy condition at the end of your treatment. If this is your aim too, we will all need to work together, to make it happen. We will make sure we keep your teeth moving, by changing the modules and activating or changing the wires as required. You will need to help us by avoiding breakages, and by keeping your teeth and gums healthy.
How to brush effectively while you have your braces on
Brushing your teeth will take a lot longer now that you have braces on. Any brush with soft bristles and a small head that is comfortable to hold is fine. In the morning we understand that your time is limited, so just a quick but thorough brush with your regular toothbrush. Start at the back and work your way around your mouth, from one side to the other. That way no teeth will be missed. Hold the toothbrush not on top of the braces, but on the gums, wriggling in small circles. You can then push the bristles of the brush under the wires from above and below the braces to remove food and more importantly, plaque from under the wires. This will require placing the brush in one spot, then pushing the bristles. It won't work if you are just scrubbing the under and top sides of the braces.
At lunchtime (at school), you don't have to brush unless you want to. You will find though, that lots of food will get caught in your braces, so you'll need to rinse thoroughly with water to get rid of it. At night, or whenever you have more time, you should spend at least 5 minutes having a really good thorough brush. Start with the spiral brush. This is great for getting huge chunks of food out, but it is also essential for daily use to remove all the plaque from your teeth and gums. Bend the wire part of the brush so that it is at right angles to the handle. Direct the brush under the arch wire of your braces, going from the gums towards the biting edge of your teeth, then using long strokes, brush 15 strokes, from above one bracket, to above the other bracket.
That is five strokes from the left
five strokes straight up and down
and then 5 strokes from the right
Make sure the bristles of the brush are held firmly against your gum and the tooth above/below each bracket. If you pull against the arch wire with the brush, you will be holding the brush away from your gums, and this will be ineffective.