Metal braces and ceramic braces can do amazing things for your smile, but they need your help along the way. Once brackets and wires are on, cleaning your teeth takes more time and attention than it did before. It’s normal to feel a little unsure at first. How are you supposed to floss around all those wires? What if food gets stuck in your brackets at school or work? With the right habits, tools, and support from Weideman Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics, you’ll easily keep your smile healthy and your treatment moving forward. Let’s go over what it takes to keep your teeth clean with braces.
Why Clean Teeth Matter With Braces
Straightening your teeth with metal braces or clear braces can help improve oral health by making brushing and flossing easier in the long run and eliminating tight spaces where bacteria like to hide. But during treatment, those same appliances introduce new spots for food and plaque to stick. If you’re not careful, your oral health can dip a little while wearing braces.
When oral hygiene slips, problems build up fast. Plaque and bacteria trapped around brackets can lead to cavities, gum irritation, and bad breath. Inflamed gums or untreated decay can delay treatment, cause discomfort, and make it harder for your orthodontist to adjust your braces.
Another common consequence of neglecting oral hygiene during treatment is white spots on teeth. Also called decalcification, white spots occur when the enamel has weakened due to prolonged exposure to bacteria, plaque, and sugar. Sometimes, our Citrus Heights dental team can remove or minimize the appearance of this discoloration, but not always.
Fortunately, preventing these issues is pretty simple. By incorporating the following habits, you can ensure your smile is everything you always wanted when the braces come off.
How To Floss With Braces
Flossing gets a little trickier when you have metal braces or clear braces, but skipping it isn’t an option. Plaque and food particles love to hide between teeth and brackets, and if they’re left there too long, they can lead to cavities, gum irritation, and bad breath.
Since brackets and wires can get in the way, you have to make some tweaks to your flossing routine. One option is to use a floss threader or orthodontic flosser, which helps guide the floss under the wire and between each tooth. It takes a bit of patience and practice at first, but the habit quickly becomes second nature. Interdental brushes, sometimes called proxy brushes, are another great option for clearing out plaque and food in the small spaces around brackets and wires.
A water flosser can also be a big help, especially if you want extra freshness or are still getting the hang of thread flossing with braces. This device uses a gentle stream of water to rinse away food and plaque in hard-to-reach areas, making it faster and often more comfortable than string floss alone. It’s important to know you should use a water flosser as an addition to regular flossing, not as a replacement. The best routine combines daily flossing with support from interdental brushes and a water flosser for thorough cleaning.
How To Brush Teeth With Braces
After you floss, you have to brush! Your brushing routine won’t change too much; you just might have to be a little more attentive. Proper brushing keeps your teeth healthy, promotes gum health, keeps your clear braces discreet, and keeps your breath fresh.
Start with a soft-bristled toothbrush. Sonicare and Oral-B are two electric toothbrush brands we recommend and offer in our office because their gentle vibration helps sweep away buildup around brackets more easily than manual brushing alone. Hold the brush at a 45-degree angle so the bristles sweep along the gumline, then angle the brush above and below each bracket to reach every surface. Then, take your time moving across all the surfaces of each tooth to make sure nothing is left behind. Lastly, brush gently along the gumline to clean the area without damaging the gums.
Fluoride toothpaste gives even more support during treatment. Products such as MI Paste Plus and Clinpro help strengthen enamel, reduce sensitivity, and lower the risk of white spots that can form if plaque sits on the tooth for too long.
Pro Tip: Replace your toothbrush or brush head more frequently while in treatment, as braces can wear them out quicker.
Stay Hydrated
One of the simplest ways to protect your smile during orthodontic treatment is by drinking plenty of water. Every sip rinses away food particles and sugars that stick to brackets and teeth, keeping your mouth cleaner between brushing and flossing. Unlike sugary drinks, water doesn’t feed cavity-causing bacteria, so it’s the best choice for both braces and long-term oral health.
Staying hydrated also supports healthy gums. A dry mouth allows plaque to build up more easily, while saliva helps wash away bacteria and neutralize acids that weaken enamel. By keeping a water bottle with you throughout the day, you’re not only helping your body stay hydrated, but you’re also giving your teeth and gums the extra care they need while wearing braces.
How To Keep Your Braces & Teeth Clean On-The-Go
You need to brush and floss your teeth after every meal, snack, or drink that’s not water, even when you’re away from home! With a little preparation, you can keep your braces and teeth clean no matter where the day takes you in Citrus Heights. So, if you have a big meeting with a client after lunch and don’t want food, want fresh breath after your dinner date, or a shining smile for the first day of class, don’t forget to bring your braces care kit with you everywhere you go!
A few essentials to include are:
- Travel-size toothbrush and toothpaste
- Floss threader or orthodontic flosser
- Interdental brush (proxy brush) for cleaning around brackets
- Orthodontic wax for poking wires
- Refillable water bottle
Even if you can’t brush right away, rinsing with water after meals helps wash away food particles until you get a chance to clean more thoroughly. Keeping a few smart habits on hand makes braces care simple, even on your busiest days.
See Your Dentist For Cleanings
Maintaining regular visits to your Citrus Heights dentist is a critical component of oral health care, especially when you have braces. These check-ups allow for professional cleaning that reaches areas difficult to clean at home, helping to prevent plaque buildup, tooth decay, and gum disease. Your dentist will also conduct a thorough examination to identify and treat any early signs of oral health issues before they become more serious and affect your orthodontic treatment.
Start Your Citrus Heights Braces Journey Today!
Oral hygiene plays a huge role in how your smile turns out once the braces come off. It’s worth taking the time to get it right. At Weideman Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics in Citrus Heights, we’re here to support you every step of the way, from your first consultation to your final retainer check. If you need help figuring out which tools to use, what your cleaning routine should look like, or how to avoid common issues like white spots, our team is happy to offer tips tailored to your smile. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation or ask us your braces care questions! We’re always happy to help.