Having braces requires two things. One, you must increase proper oral hygiene, and two, you must manage oral hygiene practices that used to be simple but are now complicated by the braces. Jarosz and Valente Orthodontics in Arlington Heights and Deerfield have some excellent "tricks" for how you can maintain excellent oral hygiene while wearing braces.
1. Use a Flossing Threader
A flossing threader is essentially a loop made from dental floss. You put the end of the threader through the spaces between your teeth and above the brace wire. Put the fresh piece of dental floss through the loop on the other end. Now use the end of the threader to pull, or thread, the floss through the spaces between the teeth and floss above the wire as you normally would.
2. Use Flossing Picks
If you don't have the time or the patience to use a floss threader and go above and behind every two teeth, use floss picks. Most people don't realize that the picky end on the handle of these picks is actually a flossing device unto itself.
It easily fits between teeth and in the spaces above the gum line to gently remove food particles. It isn't a perfect solution nor a perfect substitute for actual flossing, but it works in a pinch. It's better than not flossing at all.
3. Use a WaterPik Flosser Instead
A sort of power washer for your mouth, you can use a waterpik device to floss when you have braces. These dental tools squirt high-powered jets of water in between teeth to clean and floss with water. They work best after you have effectively brushed and loosened up any food particles and debris between teeth.
Waterpik devices mimic the high-powered jets of water the dentist or orthodontist uses to rinse patients' teeth within the office. They are perfectly safe and reasonably effective. Be sure to ask your orthodontist which waterpik device he or she recommends before selecting and purchasing such a device for home use.
Opting for Clear Correct Braces Rather Than Traditional Braces
Of course, you could just skip the traditional wire and metal bracket braces and opt for Clear Correct Braces instead. These braces pop in and out, letting you easily and freely care for your gums and teeth without having to worry about how the floss is going to get in between. Also, currently we are doing a promotion for the parents and spouses of our JV patients. The promotion runs from 2/1/23 to 4/30/23. Contact us today to know about our intraoral scanning technology (Itero) and its uses for clear aligner treatment (ClearCorrect) and our special offers. Ask the experts at Jarosz & Valente Orthodontics in Arlington Heights or Deerfield to show you how these orthodontics work.