During orthodontic treatment, patients experience difficulties with oral hygiene. This happens because the braces themselves and the arch that connects them prevent a regular toothbrush from cleaning plaque and food debris from the dental spaces. Moreover, the foreign complex structure itself becomes an additional source of infection, collecting the same food debris on the surface.
This problem can have serious consequences, since the dentist’s ability to prevent and treat caries while the patient is wearing braces is also significantly limited. Taking this fact into account, it is worthwhile to monitor oral hygiene as carefully as possible during the active phase of bite correction. You need to purchase everything for caring for braces from an online store or pharmacy. The dentist will definitely give you a list of necessary devices after installing the orthodontic structure.
Why do you need special care for your teeth after getting braces?
We have already considered the first and most important reason - braces interfere with the ability to effectively clean teeth from food and soft plaque. This is why brushing teeth with braces with a regular brush is ineffective. Over time, the plaque will begin to thicken and get rid of it will become even more difficult. Moreover, bad breath will become your constant companion, despite rinses and mouth fresheners. By the way, you will also not be able to use chewing gum due to the presence of the same braces in your mouth!
If caries has developed on a tooth, then before starting treatment, the dentist will remove the braces from it, suspending the process of correcting the bite until the end of therapy. In addition to the fact that this lengthens the overall treatment time, removing and reinstalling braces is a paid procedure. Therefore, careful dental care will not only allow you to quickly get the coveted “Hollywood” smile, but also prevent unnecessary financial expenses.
The Best Superfloss Brands
Since dentists recommend using superfloss, here are the best brands:
Oral b super floss
Oral b super floss (Oral b super floss) – is offered by Irish manufacturers in the form of segments in the amount of 50 pieces. Superfloss has a pleasant menthol smell and costs from 400 rubles.
Miradent
Miradent (miradent) - products from German manufacturers, helps not only clean teeth, but also, thanks to impregnation with chlorhexidine, destroy pathogenic bacteria. The cost of one package is from 600 rubles.
Mirafloss Implant CHX
Mirafloss Implant CHX (mirafloss implant) is the country of origin of the superfloss presented by the brand Germany. The thread is also impregnated with chlorhexidine, so it perfectly cleans and disinfects the oral cavity. The cost of one reel is from 500 rubles.
There are other brands of superfloss that are effective and expensive. Despite the prices, they are quite popular in Russia because they differ in quality.
Tools for caring for braces
Devices for caring for the oral cavity during orthodontic treatment may seem strange and uncomfortable at first glance, but they are not. If you are interested in where in Moscow you can buy an orthodontic toothbrush and brushes for cleaning braces, then just ask your dentist or search on the Internet. Today, most pharmacies and a large number of online stores offer a full range of hygiene products for patients undergoing orthodontic treatment. Moreover, the prices for these tools can vary, both from quite high for products of professional dental brands (for example, toothbrushes and brushes for Curaprox braces), and to absolutely affordable brushes from mass market brands (toothbrushes and brushes for Oral braces B (oral bi).
Advantages and disadvantages of use
Cleaning your braces with dental floss has its advantages and disadvantages.
The positive aspects include ease of use - even beginners can successfully use the thread
The positive points include:
- The ability to clean hard-to-reach places that cannot be thoroughly treated with other hygiene products.
- Easy to use – even beginners can use the thread successfully.
- A large selection of flosses that are designed for a specific type of dentition and to treat existing problems.
But there are disadvantages, among which the main ones are:
- There is a high risk of gum injury, which can cause inflammation.
- Frequent use of floss provokes the destruction of interdental septa.
- Incorrect use leads to deformation of the structure, which necessitates the manufacture of a new one.
When choosing a thread and before cleaning your braces, carefully evaluate the pros and cons of the method.
How to care for your teeth after getting braces?
In general, the basic principles of dental care remain unchanged:
- Actively brush your teeth 2 times a day – morning and evening.
- Cleanse as needed each time after eating.
- Visit your dentist regularly for preventive professional hygiene.
However, taking into account the presence of braces on the teeth, each of these stages becomes longer and requires the use of completely special tools.
Orthodontic brush for cleaning braces
An orthodontic toothbrush looks similar to a regular one, however, the special arrangement of the bristles on its head attracts attention. Firstly, such brushes are available only with soft hairs or medium hardness. Secondly, the length of the hair varies from the longest at the edge to the shortest in the middle of the brush. Thus, their appearance resembles the letter V. Today, buying a toothbrush for braces in pharmacies is quite simple, since such a model is already included in the portfolio of almost all well-known brands from the economy to the luxury segment.
How to properly brush teeth with braces with an orthodontic toothbrush? The process will take place in three stages:
- Horizontal movements clean the vestibular (outer) surface of the dentition (where the braces are located). If you have a lingual structure, then horizontal movements are made accordingly from the inside, moving along the length of the arch.
- We place the toothbrush at an angle of 450 to the surface of the gum and carefully, with slight pressure, clean the structure itself and the spaces under the arch.
- We brush our teeth as usual from the inside (outside if the braces are lingual).
How to clean braces with a brush?
If few people can be surprised by a set of brushes for braces, then special brushes are a completely new tool in the arsenal of an ordinary person. The brush is a small vertical brush, with which it is very convenient to clean the interdental spaces.
In addition, a brush is indispensable for cleaning the surface of the tooth under the arch connecting the braces. It is necessary to carefully insert it under the arc and rotate it clockwise to remove plaque and stuck food particles.
An important rule of hygiene is the life of the brush. If an orthodontic toothbrush is ready to serve its owner for the standard 2-3 months, then the brush needs to be changed every 2 weeks. Typically, orthodontic brushes for cleaning braces are sold in sets of several pieces for the convenience of patients.
How to use a mono-beam brush for braces?
In the photo, the monotuft brush for braces resembles the letter “G”. This is a miniature tuft of bristles that is attached at an angle to a long handle. It must be used with special sweeping movements, moving from the neck of the tooth to its crown. It is very convenient to use such a brush to clean the bracket itself, since in addition to one small beam, the working head is also small in size and allows you to look into the most difficult to reach places.
Some brands offer to buy multifunctional brushes with different attachments for braces and more thorough oral hygiene in general. In this case, it is worth paying attention to the overall ergonomics of the design. The handle should fit comfortably in the hand (ideally have rubber stops or notches), and the attachments themselves should be firmly attached to it.
As for bristles, when caring for orthodontic structures, you should choose brushes with soft and medium hardness, so as not to damage the miniature structures.
How to use an electric toothbrush for braces?
Some patients are interested in whether it is possible to clean braces with an electric or ultrasonic brush? You can, however, choose models that are equipped with special attachments. As a rule, such a nozzle looks like a single-tuft brush with a slightly larger diameter. The brush itself should be made of soft or medium bristles. An important feature of orthodontic electric brushes is the presence of a special low-intensity mode, which will prevent the braces themselves from being damaged during cleaning. Typically, manufacturers of high-quality models post a video on the Internet about how to properly brush teeth with braces, and provide in the instructions a link to it or to a proprietary application that needs to be installed on your phone.
Brushing teeth with braces using floss
Ordinary dental floss has become so firmly established in our lives that daily high-quality hygiene without it seems impossible. Should I give it up during orthodontic treatment? Is it possible to brush teeth with braces with regular floss? Of course it is possible, orthodontists answer, however, it will be more effective to use superfloss instead of regular thread.
Superfloss is essentially dental floss, however, it combines several functions. For example, one of the brands widely represented on the dental market produces threads with a hard tip, which allows it to be inserted under the arch of an orthodontic structure. In the middle of the piece of thread there is a part of spongy porous fiber for more thorough removal of food debris.
How to clean braces with an irrigator?
The irrigator is a universal device for oral hygiene, which is also suitable for cleaning braces. The essence of the method is that water is applied to the teeth under high pressure. In this way, you can gently and effectively remove food debris from the interdental spaces and plaque from the surface of the teeth without damaging the orthodontic structures themselves.
If necessary, rinse aid or disinfectant solutions suitable for use in dentistry can be added to the water container.
Which one is needed?
It is not recommended to use non-waxed floss for brushing teeth, since in this case they can cause damage to the structure, despite the fact that such types are the best in the presented procedure.
Dentists talk about using a special thread - orthodontic, which significantly reduces the work for a person. If this is not possible, then choose the waxed variety.
Special dental floss for braces
Why is special thread recommended?
Orthodontic thread is called superfloss and consists of specially collected pieces.
These segments consist of the following elements:
- At the beginning of the segment there is a hard tip, which helps to easily insert the floss under the arch.
- Next comes the waxed thread.
- This is followed by the spongy part, which makes it possible to clean the entire surface of the tooth in 1-2 movements.
According to dentists, the best for braces is a special orthodontic thread. But its cost is high, so it is rarely used.
Using dental floss with a holder
What toothpaste should you use to brush your teeth with braces?
Most often, braces care kits sold in stores include toothpastes with a high content of fluoride or calcium. This is justified by the fact that the orthodontic system has a negative effect on tooth enamel, slightly thinning it. However, dentists do not recommend frequent use of fluoridated toothpastes while wearing braces, as this may cause staining of the enamel. They will become especially noticeable after the system is removed and will require additional measures to restore the aesthetics of the smile.
From the point of view of doctors, the patient is recommended to concentrate his efforts on regular mechanical cleaning of teeth from plaque and food, without being carried away by the excessively abrasive and mineralizing effects of toothpastes.
What is floss?
Floss is a special thread designed to clean the interdental spaces. There are several types of floss (they are distinguished by material of manufacture, cross-section, impregnation), which are intended for people with different anatomical structures of teeth.
Dental floss
For narrow gaps between teeth, threads with a small cross-section are used, for wide gaps - round floss or tape.
Types of dental floss
Waxed threads are recommended for those who are using such a device for the first time; unwaxed threads require some skill in use, but clean teeth as effectively as possible.
Waxed dental floss
Flosses with therapeutic and preventive impregnations protect teeth from caries or prevent its occurrence.
Dental floss SPLAT Voluminous waxed Bergamot and lime - photo
Additional activities after cleaning
In addition to directly brushing teeth during orthodontic treatment, some other manipulations may be required to improve the patient’s quality of life - this is rinsing the mouth and working with wax.
Mouthwash
Dentists recommend using mouthwash daily. This allows you to quickly freshen your breath, while chewing gum remains an unaffordable luxury for patients with braces.
In addition, regular rinsing of the mouth with antiseptic solutions helps relieve inflammation, which especially often makes itself felt in the first days of wearing braces.
Why do you need wax?
If you buy a set for cleaning braces, then in the vast majority of cases it will also contain wax in addition to the already familiar listed tools. Why is it needed?
It is no secret that the sharp edges of braces and even the arch can cause microtrauma to the mucous membrane of the tongue, lips and cheeks. This is especially noticeable in the first 2-3 weeks of wearing braces, when all the known shortcomings of this orthodontic system are maximally manifested.
To avoid the formation of wounds, bleeding and generally improve the patient’s quality of life and increase his loyalty to treatment, orthodontists recommend the active use of wax. A small amount of it must be kneaded in your hands and applied to the part of the bracket with sharp edges. Gradually, this will no longer be necessary, as the oral mucosa adapts to the structure on the teeth.
Reviews
Maria Korshunova, 32 years old, Penza: “I decided to get braces because I wasn’t happy with my crooked teeth. I had to use dental floss. I was satisfied with the Miradent brand; they have a large selection of different aromatic scents.”
Anatoly Rabich, 46 years old, Moscow: “Due to age, I had to install bridges. Cleaning them turned out to be a real chore, but superfloss threads came to the rescue. This is a really good invention, because now my teeth brushing time has been halved.”
Is it possible to have professional cleaning with braces?
It is worth noting that professional teeth cleaning by a dentist is mandatory before installing and after removing braces. In the first case, this allows you to remove stone and plaque from the surface of the tooth in order to:
- Minimize the risk of developing caries during orthodontic treatment;
- Ensure better attachment of the bracket plate to the tooth surface.
Accordingly, at the end of treatment, the doctor removes plaque that has settled on the teeth due to difficulties with hygiene, and thus evens out the color of the teeth.
If the patient is indicated for long-term wearing of braces - longer than six months, then professional cleaning is carried out at the agreed time or according to the doctor's indications. In this case, there is no need to remove the braces themselves; you just need to remove the arches for the duration of cleaning (and even then not always).
The price of professional teeth cleaning with braces at a dentist in Moscow is slightly higher than that for other categories of patients.
