How to floss under Braces?

Maintaining good oral hygiene practices is important for all of us and our overall health. It is just as important to keep up good oral hygiene habits when undergoing any orthodontic treatment.

Brushing your teeth will not remove all of the plaque. Therefore, you need to floss to get rid of the plaque as your toothbrush will not be able to reach all of it. In order to maintain healthy teeth and gums, it is essential that we learn to properly care for our teeth, gums, and braces throughout the orthodontic treatment. Although it might initially seem difficult, learning to floss with braces does get easier with practice.

You can use a floss threader, which will help you pull the floss behind the wire of your braces. If you opt for this method, you will save a lot of time and still be able to maintain a good dental care routine.

Using floss on teeth with braces is difficult and frustrating. Sliding the floss between the teeth above the wire is a bit like threading a needle.

An orthodontic floss threader is an indispensable tool when flossing teeth with braces because it allows you to pull the floss through the teeth above the wire and reach the gum line.

When flossing with braces, it is best to use waxed floss with a floss threader, which will slip between each tooth without catching more easily.

Here are the steps of using flossing

– Get a long piece of dental floss (roughly 18cm), so that the ends can be wrapped around your index fingers while flossing.

– Take the floss and carefully thread it under the main wire of the braces before passing it between two teeth. Then remove the floss and re-thread it under the main wire to pass between the next pair of teeth

– Be sure not to snap the floss, simply move it up and down gently against the side of each tooth. Gently slide the floss up into the gum line of both teeth before removing the floss and threader and going to the next tooth.

If you have a hard time flossing with string or tape, there are other methods to help keep the teeth and gums clean, such as interdental toothbrushes. These small brushes have been designed to get into small spaces including around brackets and the gaps between teeth and can be particularly helpful when undergoing braces treatment.

Don’t skip flossing, even if it takes more time with your braces. It’s important to floss regularly to prevent gum disease and tooth decay while braces are working to align your teeth for a more confident smile. Ask our orthodontist for advice regarding how to keep your teeth healthy while in braces.