Flossing is an integral part of your daily dental care routine. It’s the only way to get all the plaque and debris between your teeth. This activity keeps any food from sticking between your teeth, preventing cavities. But if you have braces on, it is a whole new challenge. Flossing with braces feels like an inconvenience, but now it is all the more important.
Braces increase the need for flossing because now your teeth have more cracks and edges on them. Particles and debris from your daily munches can stick to braces, causing cavities, yellowish color teeth, and bad breath, among other issues. Flossing with braces is important, but you also need to be careful. If you are not careful, you could accidentally pull out the wires of your braces and do more harm than good. Flossing with braces is much more needed and is a safe practice. But only if you are patient and won’t try to rush through it.
Ways To Floss With Braces
With all these precautions, you must be thinking about how to floss with braces on? But don’t worry, where there is a will, there is a way. We have a lot of important suggestions for you, and once you go through this blog, you will be completely prepared with all the necessary knowledge. We are at your service if you need further guidance on dental cleaning.
Waxed Floss Thread
Waxed floss is different from regular floss and is recommended. If you use regular floss, it will tear and tangle between the metal braces. Waxed floss is coated in wax and therefore doesn’t tear from the metal braces. You will need 20-30 minutes to go between every tooth.
Process
- Take an 18 inches piece of waxed dental floss.
- Make sure you are in front of a mirror and thread it between the gums and the wire.
- Fold it in both index fingers to have a firm grip.
- Gently slide it up and down between the teeth. Just make sure to not pull on it too hard; otherwise, it may tangle between braces.
- You will need to thread between all the teeth in a U-shaped manner and slowly slide it between them.
Note: The task is difficult and will take considerable time. Even after that, you will have to brush your teeth more thoroughly afterward. We recommend using an electric brush.
Oral Irrigation Waterpik
This tool is made as a custom floss for braces. It uses a steady stream of water to clean between the teeth. There is no risk of tangling, and the pressure is not high enough to damage or move your braces. You can add mouthwash into the water for extra benefits. The tool could cost up to 50$ or more, but consult with your orthodontist, and you may even get a coupon.
Schedule A Professional Cleaning
Schedule an appointment with a dental hygenist seems the obvious course of action. At Spring Branch Denta Group, we are professionals at applying braces and cleaning them thoroughly. You can contact us in Houston, Texas, by calling on this number (832-548-1533). You can be confident that your pearly whites are under expert care. We will clean your teeth with oral irrigation and other dental tools that clean all the leftover debris from every corner of your teeth and braces.