Is it possible to brush teeth with braces with an electric brush?

Wearing braces requires careful regular care. Lack of proper hygiene can lead to the development of tooth decay, gingivitis and other dental problems. Many people are interested in the question: is it possible to clean braces with an electric brush? We'll tell you in the article.

In this article

• Do I need to brush my teeth with braces with a toothbrush?
• Can I use an electric toothbrush?
• What requirements must an electric brush for braces meet?
• Is it possible to clean braces and teeth with an ultrasonic brush?
• Is an electric brush enough?
• Conclusion

Do I need to brush my teeth with braces with a toothbrush?

The procedure for hygienic care of teeth with installed braces differs from traditional cleaning. A regular toothbrush is not enough to care for braces. In addition, you will need several special brushes, as well as superfloss, irrigator and rinses.

Whether you can clean your braces with a brush or not depends on what kind of brush you use. To care for orthodontic appliances and the oral cavity, you will need the following types of toothbrushes:

• Regular with soft bristles.
• Orthodontic with V-shaped cut in bristles.
• Interdental (so-called brush).
• Mono-tuft - a brush that has only one tuft of bristles.

The oral care procedure must be approached comprehensively and teeth should be brushed using all of the listed brushes.

Lifetime

Answering the question about the duration of wearing the structure is not as simple as it might seem. This aspect is influenced by the following factors:

• the age of the patient - the younger he is, the less time is needed;
• degree of complexity of the problem - the simplest situations will require wearing the system for no more than a year, the most complex ones will require much more time;
• the health status of the patient's teeth - if there has been no prosthetics or depulpation before, then the wearing time will be shorter.

Three years, if we talk about the most problematic cases, of course, is a considerable period of time; to many, even one year seems an unreasonably long time, but it is still not worth using devices for acceleration. They are very expensive, but are not able to change human bone tissue, so their purchase is not justified. You also need to remember that ignoring proper and high-quality oral hygiene will lead to a delay in treatment and a decrease in its effectiveness.

Can I use an electric toothbrush?

Some patients clean them with an electric toothbrush after getting braces. There is a myth that this should not be done, because electric brushes can damage structural parts, as a result of which it will have to be replaced.

Dentists refute this opinion and say that brushing your teeth with an electric brush is acceptable. The main thing is to choose the right model, which is equipped with orthodontic attachments, and follow the doctor’s recommendations.

The use of electric toothbrushes in caring for braces is even preferable for a number of reasons. Such brushes remove plaque better because they automatically perform tens of times more cleaning movements than we can do with our hands.

Modern sonic and ultrasonic models clean not only through mechanical action, but also using sound waves and pulsations. Using electric brushes, you can remove plaque and dirt from under the gums, from between teeth and other hard-to-reach areas.

Purpose of special tools

Profile dental devices are equipped with working attachments designed for better care of corrective structures on the dentition.

The attachments have two rows of medium-hard bristles. Thanks to the frequency of rotation, pulsation and movement of the villi in different directions, a gentle, comprehensive cleansing of bite correction systems occurs.

The installation of dental correction systems significantly complicates the procedure for cleaning the oral cavity.

Food particles and plaque begin to accumulate around the braces and under the brackets, improper care of which can lead to:

• demineralization of enamel;
• increase in dental plaque;
• accumulation of plaque;
• stains on the tooth surface;
• caries, gingivitis, etc.

Therefore, special devices are needed to achieve the required level of cleansing.

What requirements must an electric brush for braces meet?

To ensure not only effective, but also gentle care of braces, the brush must meet a number of requirements.

• Synthetic bristles.

It cleans well, but bacteria do not multiply in it as actively as in natural ones.

• Small cleaning head.

It is advisable to choose models with a round head no larger than 1.3-1.6 cm. Such brushes will not damage fragile structural elements, and they better penetrate the distant teeth and other hard-to-reach places.

• Soft bristles.

This will avoid damage to the structure.

• Combination of technologies.

To care for braces, some dentists recommend choosing electric brushes that combine reciprocating and pulsating technologies. This provides better cleaning quality and allows you to remove the maximum amount of plaque in a shorter time.

• Special orthodontic attachments.

Be sure to choose an electric brush with special attachments. For example, any Oral-B electric toothbrush comes with a set of Braun Oral-B Ortho Care Essentials orthodontic attachments. It has different attachments that are suitable for high-quality cleaning of teeth around the locks and in the spaces between teeth.

When buying an electric brush to care for braces, it is important to consider that the attachments will wear out faster than with standard cleaning, so they will have to be replaced more often.

Review of models of orthodontic brushes from other companies

Dental floss, or floss, is used to clean the spaces between teeth. The surface of the thread is impregnated with wax and flavoring, so that the effectiveness of its use is maximized, some rules should be followed:

• the length of the thread should not exceed 35 centimeters;
• the thread is wound onto the index finger of one hand and onto the middle finger of the other with a distance of no more than 10 centimeters;
• the thread is passed between the teeth and between the braces, this should be done with the utmost care and attention;
• To remove plaque, floss should be pressed to the surface of the tooth and cleaned.

A distinctive feature of brushes for braces is their ergonomic design with a special arrangement of bristles for more thorough cleaning of not only teeth, but also braces.

The devices allow you to remove food particles and plaque from narrow spaces between the bracket system and the teeth.

Is it possible to clean braces and teeth with an ultrasonic brush?

Manufacturers of some ultrasonic brushes say that this is the optimal and gentle option for caring for braces. For example, the Emmi-Dent 6 Platinum Carbon ultrasonic electric brush, according to the manufacturer, provides gentle and high-quality care for any dental structures. Cleaning is carried out using ultrasound, which carefully removes plaque, prevents the formation of tartar, has an antimicrobial effect, and also has a beneficial effect on the gums and soft tissues. Due to ultrasonic cleaning, the electric brush does not have a strong mechanical effect on teeth and braces, does not injure the gums and does not damage the details of the orthodontic structure.

The Emmi-Dent ultrasonic brush operates on safe ultrasound with a frequency of 96 million pulsations per minute, it is made using patented technology, and its use is recommended by the Russian Dental Association. This brush comes with a special toothpaste without scratching abrasive particles. When the paste interacts with ultrasound, nano-sized bubbles are formed. They damage the shell of microbes and ensure cleaning of teeth in microcracks, near the clasps of the brace system, in periodontal pockets and other hard-to-reach areas.

Please note that not all dentists share the opinion of the manufacturers of ultrasonic brushes that they are ideal for caring for braces. Some doctors are of the opposite opinion and are convinced that ultrasound can harm the orthodontic structure. Therefore, it is important to discuss the choice of an electric brush for cleaning braces in advance with the doctor who will install the braces.

What is important for a braces wearer to know?

Although the cleaning procedure is not particularly difficult, it still requires some effort and time, therefore, to make the process more effective, we can recommend the following to the patient:

• purchase a magnifying glass that will help you better see food particles on your teeth;
• When cleaning, you should rinse your mouth in order to monitor the quality of the actions performed in real time;
• if you couldn’t find a special brush, you can make it from a regular one, which you just need to cut out the fibers on it from the central part.

Regarding the cleaning process, we can also recommend the following procedure to the patient:

1. In the gum area, place the brush at an angle and make several rotational movements to clean.
2. Each tooth should be cleaned, both from the inside and from the outside.
3. You should not be afraid to touch the structure of the system itself; you should carefully brush it on both sides.
4. The space between the teeth must be treated using special brushes.
5. The procedure should take at least three minutes and should be completed by rinsing.

Is an electric brush enough?

Even the most modern and high-quality toothbrush is not enough to fully care for the oral cavity of a person who wears braces. To maintain dental health, comprehensive hygiene is important, which, in addition to brushing with special toothbrushes, includes the use of superfloss, irrigator and mouth rinses:

• Superfloss is a dental floss specially designed for orthodontic patients. It is more convenient to insert it into the interdental spaces compared to regular floss, and it also allows you to efficiently clean the surface of the tooth around the lock.
• Every person who wears dental appliances needs an irrigator. This device improves the quality of oral hygiene several times and reduces the risk of caries and other diseases. The irrigator directs a powerful stream of water, which removes dirt and plaque from under the edge of the gum, from interdental spaces and other areas that could not be cleaned by other means.
• Rinse aid. This product not only washes away the remaining plaque and dirt, but also has an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory effect. You should choose a mouthwash as prescribed by your doctor.

Why additional equipment is needed

It is after the braces have been installed that areas appear on the teeth that are simply impossible to clean with an ordinary toothbrush, because it cannot even reach those places. If action is not taken in time, food that is retained will form harmful bacteria in the oral cavity. An ordinary brush can even cause harm, because both the tooth pulp and the gums are very vulnerable when wearing braces.

It must be remembered that hygiene is the most important thing in the prevention of many diseases that arise in the oral cavity. From this it turns out that it is necessary to carry out ideal teeth cleaning.

Possible problems

The main problem is that the risk of caries increases significantly while wearing braces. This happens because food debris causes plaque to form on the enamel. As a result, the safety of not only tooth enamel, but also gums is jeopardized, which causes inflammation and pain. A toothbrush for braces is designed to avoid this; the main thing in this case is to choose the right and most effective option.

How to care for her?

In order for such an important device to serve you for many years, helping to clean the oral cavity efficiently and effectively, pay attention to the tips below:

• Nozzles are subject to periodic treatment with an antiseptic and replacement.
  It is necessary to constantly rinse brushes/nozzles with running water before/after hygiene procedures. Leftover food left on the villi can cause the spread of bacteria and microorganisms.
• The device should be stored in an upright position, the brushes should be stored in empty, dry glasses or stands.
• The nozzles are subject to periodic treatment with an antiseptic (once a week) and replacement (every three to four months).
• After hygiene procedures, check the charge level of the brush to avoid draining the battery.

Reviews

Olesya, St. Petersburg: I ​​had to give up hard, hard foods, seeds, which got stuck and caused discomfort; at first, brushing my teeth caused pain. After purchasing special products, it became much easier and more comfortable.

Mila, Chelyabinsk: After installing the braces, the doctor recommended orthodontic devices, but I did not attach any importance to this. However, after brushing my teeth, I began to notice that food remains remained under the braces. I started studying information about proper care and the problems were solved.

Tanyusha, Rostov-on-Don: After three years of experience wearing braces, I note that low-quality ortho brushes wear out within 2 months and begin to bristle, bristles begin to fall off (clumps!). Therefore, devices should be purchased from medical institutions, preferably from a trusted manufacturer. Then there will be no problems cleaning hard-to-reach areas.

Recommendations

The effectiveness of cleansing will largely depend on the correct implementation of the following recommendations:

• It is better to give preference to synthetic bristles rather than natural ones, since the latter has many pores where harmful bacteria accumulate, causing inflammation;
• the diameter of the brush head should not exceed 250 millimeters for adults and 200 for children;
• soft bristles are better than hard bristles in terms of penetration;
• It’s good to also use an irrigator after cleaning, which can wash away food debris from those places where the brush could not fully reach.

Where can I buy?

You can buy any type of products for braces in our virtual store IRRIGATOR.RU. Now you no longer need to look in different places: we have a wide range of all the necessary products for braces. Our online store will not leave indifferent even the most demanding customer, forcing him to return more than once for new purchases. You can order all purchased goods with delivery not only in Moscow and the region, but also to the regions of the Russian Federation.

Functional, high-quality brushes for braces can be purchased in specialized stores, on the manufacturer’s website, in pharmacies, on the Internet and in regular supermarkets.

In the online store IRRIGATOR.RU you can buy products for braces and other Oral-b designs. From us you can purchase not only products for braces and other orthodontics, but also many more traditional products for the oral cavity and teeth.