Braces: a pain in the mouth? If you have braces, you’ve heard the horror stories of getting food stuck between your teeth. Having to go without for 10 minutes with a toothpick, or worse, pulling it off with your fingers.
How do you take care of your braces while eating when you want to avoid getting food stuck as much as possible?
We’re glad you asked. In this guide, we’re giving you the how to floss with braces guide. Read on, so you can be well-prepared to take care of those braces.
The Basics on How to Floss With Braces
When flossing with braces, it’s essential to be gentle. Is brushing too hard cause damage to your gums or even loosen your brackets? The best way to floss with braces is to use a piece of waxed floss.
Start by wrapping the floss around your middle finger and sliding it under your wire. Be sure to floss above and below each bracket, and don’t forget to floss behind your last molar. Once you’re done, give your teeth a good rinse.
The Waterpik Method
Water flossers are easy to use and remove plaque and debris from your teeth and gums. To use a water flosser, Fill the reservoir with water and select the pressure setting. Next, place the tip of the water flosser between your teeth and your gum line.
Be sure to direct the stream of water towards your gum line and not directly onto your braces. Move the tip of the Waterpik back and forth to remove plaque and debris. Spit the debris into the sink. Rinse your mouth with water and brush your teeth.
The Invisalign Method
The Invisalign method uses clear, invisible plastic aligners. The aligners are removable, so you can take them out to brush and floss your teeth. When flossing with braces, use waxed dental floss to avoid getting the floss caught in your braces.
Be gentle when inserting the floss between your teeth and under the wire of your braces. Use a gentle back-and-forth motion to remove any plaque or food particles.
The Traditional Method
The traditional method is to use a floss threader. It is a long, thin piece of nylon with a loop at one end. Thread the floss through the loop, then pull it through the teeth and under the wire.
Gently move the floss up and down, careful not to snap the floss against the gums. When you’re finished, rinse your mouth well with water.
The Electric Method
The electric method is one option that can make flossing with braces more manageable and more effective. You will need to buy an electric flosser, a handheld device with a rotating head. Once you have your flosser, wet the flosser tip and insert it between your teeth.
The head of the flosser will move the floss in and out of your teeth.
You will need to guide the flosser along your gum line and between your teeth, be sure to floss above and below your braces. Rinse your mouth with water after you are done flossing.
Learn How to Floss With Braces Now
Assuming you have followed the flossing tips above on how to floss your teeth, you should now be an expert! Braces can be a pain to floss around, but avoiding cavities and other oral health problems is essential. Remember to be patient, take your time, and use waxed floss to make the process easier.
For more health and lifestyle tips, check out the other posts on the site!
