How To Brush with Braces: A Step-by-Step Guide [Video Inside]

You decided to move forward with braces because you wanted a healthier smile in the long run. But failing to achieve proper oral hygiene during treatment can lead to cavities, gum disease, and permanent white spots on your teeth that only appear after braces come off. It takes a bit of effort to learn how to brush with braces. With braces, the hardware on your teeth creates additional surfaces and tight spots that a regular brushing motion can miss. Food and plaque tend to collect around brackets and under wires, and they can also get lodged between teeth. But proper brushing helps keep your teeth on track for healthy development.

At Orthodontists Associates of WNY, we keep our patients informed about how to maintain their oral hygiene during orthodontic treatment. Our doctors will provide clear instructions on the best way to brush with braces at the start of your smile correction.

How To Brush With Braces Step by Step

Brushing with braces requires extra care, but the right technique can keep your teeth and gums healthy during orthodontic treatment. The best techniques start with the right tools. So before you begin, make sure you have a soft-bristled toothbrush to achieve a deep clean without damaging brackets or wires. Consider an orthodontic toothbrush that has V-shaped bristles to clean around those brackets.

Step 1: Rinse With Water

Before you pick up your toothbrush, rinse your mouth with water. This loosens food particles trapped around brackets and wires so your brush can do its job more effectively.

Step 2: Brush the Gumline

Hold your toothbrush at a slight angle toward the gums and use gentle circular motions. The gumline is one of the most commonly missed spots with braces. Consistent attention here helps prevent irritation and gum disease.

Step 3: Brush Above, Below, and in Front of the Brackets

Angle the brush downward to clean the space between the top of each bracket and the gumline. Work along the entire arch, spending a few seconds on each tooth. Next, hold the brush flat against your teeth and brush the front surface of each tooth and its bracket. Food and plaque collect here, and this step clears them out. Finally, angle the brush upward to clean the space between the bottom of each bracket and the tooth’s edge. This area is easy to overlook, and food easily gets trapped here.

Step 4: Clean Under the Wires

Use your interdental brush to clean under the archwire and around each bracket. Take your time here. These are among the most common spots for plaque to accumulate during orthodontic treatment.

Step 5: Brush the Biting Surfaces and the Backs of Your Teeth

Do not focus only on the front of your braces. The chewing surfaces and back surfaces of your teeth need careful attention, too. The backs of your teeth can be harder to reach, and it’s easy to rush through them, so give them extra time.

Step 6: Rinse and Check

Rinse thoroughly, then check your work in the mirror. Look for any remaining food around brackets or along the gumline, and brush again if needed.

How Often Should You Brush With Braces?

While the general rule for those without braces is to brush twice a day, those with braces need to brush more often. You should brush for 2-3 minutes after every meal or snack, and again before bed. Your orthodontist will give you specific instructions based on your treatment, but that is the standard recommendation. When brushing is not possible right after a meal, rinse with plain water. While a quick rinse doesn’t replace brushing, it helps remove food particles until you can brush properly.

It’s also important that you keep up with flossing, in addition to brushing. Aim to floss at least once a day before bed. Plaque collects in places a toothbrush cannot reach, and flossing is the most effective way to clear it from between teeth and around brackets.

Keep Up With Regular Dental Visits During Treatment

Be sure to continue regular dental visits throughout your orthodontic correction. We advise every patient in active treatment to also maintain care with a general dentist. Our practice recommends that patients see their dentist twice a year for cleanings and examinations throughout orthodontic treatment.

Our team monitors hygiene at every orthodontic appointment, but your general dentist and hygienist are the ones who clean your teeth thoroughly and check for decay. Braces create more opportunities for plaque to hide. Without professional cleanings, small issues can develop into bigger ones before they are noticed.

If we identify a concern during orthodontic treatment, we refer patients back to their dentist right away. Orthodontic treatment and general dental care work together. Keeping up with both gives you the best possible outcome when your braces come off.

Schedule a Free Consultation at a Location Near You

Figuring out how to brush with braces gets easier with practice, and the right guidance makes a real difference in ensuring you have the healthiest result at the end of treatment. At the Orthodontists Associates of WNY, patient education is a core part of treatment. When you work with one of our doctors, they’ll provide clear guidance on how to maintain good oral hygiene while you have braces.

Our practice has seven convenient locations across Western New York. We don’t charge until treatment begins, so if you’re considering braces, schedule a free consultation at an office near you.