Six tips for flossing with braces
Taddeo Orthodontics offers East Orlando braces and other appliances for patients who want a straighter smile. Our staff performs treatments in a calm, comfortable environment with minimal discomfort. However, braces make it a little difficult to floss, so we recommend adjusting your routine as your teeth progress.
1. Use a Floss Threader
Floss threaders are thin tools that look like oversized sewing needles. They come in multi-packs and help you slide floss underneath your braces. You'll thread your floss through the loop, insert the narrow end underneath your braces, floss your teeth, and repeat until you're done.
2. Try Orthodontic Flossers
Similar to floss picks, orthodontic flossers feature a small spatula-like tool with a strand of floss attached. However, brands design orthodontic flossers for braces to fit underneath the wires.
You'll slide the tool beneath the wires and floss between each tooth, then throw away the pick when you're done. Some brands have added features, such as a brush for cleaning brace brackets.
3. Buy a Water Flosser
Eliminate the string with a water flosser. This is an electronic tool that blasts a stream of water between your teeth, washing away bacteria and particles. For full coverage, you can direct the stream between your teeth, along your gums, and around brackets and wires. Water flossers are pricey, but you'll probably keep using them after your braces are gone.
4. Try Waxed Floss
The wax coating makes waxed floss more durable than traditional floss, eliminating tears and loose strands that get stuck to your wires. Waxed floss is also thicker and smoother, making flossing more comfortable on sensitive gums. Plus, waxed floss comes in flavors, such as mint and cinnamon, that freshen your breath.
5. Buy Dental Tape
East Orlando orthodontists often recommend dental tape for people with braces and tightly packed teeth. Like waxed floss, dental tape has a wax coating, but it's also broader, thicker, and stretchier. If you struggle with those tight crevices, dental tape is tear-resistant and glides more easily.
6. Use Traditional Floss
If you don't want to use extra tools, you can floss your East Orlando braces with traditional floss. Follow these instructions to clean your teeth:
- Looking in the mirror, slide the floss underneath the wire.
- Pull the floss between your teeth.
- Move the floss up and down as you would normally.
- Remove the floss, and move on to the next tooth.
Regular floss can fall apart, so make sure that you don't leave any strands stuck in your teeth. Afterward, rinse your mouth with water to eliminate bacteria and loose particles.
About 10% of adolescents and 21% of adults have at least one untreated cavity. Beat the statistics with regular cleanings and visits to an East Orlando orthodontist. For new and returning patients, call Taddeo Orthodontics today to schedule an appointment.