How to Brush Your Teeth with Braces

One of the most common questions to our specialist orthodontist, Dr Anthony Hopkins gets when patients are starting orthodontic treatment with braces is “How do I brush my teeth?”. This is a very valid question, as before starting treatment, brushing your teeth seems like second nature, something you do twice a day without giving too much thought to the process.

However, once you start braces treatment, you quickly realise that you now have fixed metal brackets attached to each tooth, with a metal archwire connecting them. Making access to your teeth a bit more challenging. 

As you could imagine, with brushing your teeth now being more complex, it becomes more important to ensure that they are cleaned properly. Both for maintaining good general oral hygiene, and preventing any gum and dental concerns during treatment that may compromise your orthodontic outcomes and treatment time.

In order to make sure that all of his patients brush their teeth properly during braces treatment, here are some tips that Dr Hopkins at Oasis Orthodontic recommends:

• Ensure you use a soft bristled tooth brush when brushing your teeth. A brush with soft bristles is far less likely to cause any damage to your braces or gums..
• Use a toothpaste which contains fluoride. Fluoride has been shown to strengthen your tooth enamel, and prevent tooth decay.
• Brush your teeth in a circular motion, and from both a top, bottom and front on angle. Ensuring that you clear out any debris that may be stuck underneath your archwire.
  
• Use an interdental brush like Piksters to ensure you clean even the hardest to reach areas of your teeth.
• Ensure you brush your teeth at least twice a day, or even after each meal to ensure you don’t have any food trapped in your braces that could cause bad breath, or dental issues.
• Remember to brush your braces too! We want to remove as much plaque from the surfaces of the braces as possible.

If you follow these simple tips from Perth orthodontist, Dr Anthony Hopkins, not only will you help keep your teeth and braces clean. But you will also prevent tooth decay, bad breath, maintain good oral hygiene, and ensure your braces treatment stays on the right track to finish on time!

Find out more information about braces treatment in Perth

If you’re a Perth resident, and you want to find out more helpful tips for taking care of your braces, or perhaps you are looking to start braces treatment. Contact the friendly team at Oasis Orthodontics for a consultation with Dr Hopkins. 

We have two convenient locations, in Clarkson and in Kingsley. You can request a consultation online, or call our practice during office hours for more information on (08) 6169 1699