801 N. Wilmot Rd., Suite A-1 Tucson, Arizona 85711
6700 N. Oracle Rd, Suite 327 Tucson, Arizona 85704
Jul 15 • 2 minute read
Beginning an orthodontic treatment such as traditional braces is a huge responsibility and changes up your daily life. You or your child will quickly have to learn how to care for their orthodontic equipment, start forming new daily oral cleaning practices, and must be prepared to change the practice of their pre-existing oral habits. This includes flossing their teeth. One may believe that this is impossible being that there are dental wires that slightly obscure the space between your child’s teeth, but it’s very possible—using the correct appliances of course! At Doctor Smiles, we are here to assist you and your child on the basics of flossing your teeth with braces.
Flossing when you have braces can be a delicate job, but there is no need to panic. Although there are many different flossing tools in the market that have been designed to be used during an orthodontic treatment, the one that is most commonly used is a reusable floss threader. A floss threader essentially holds a portion of the dental floss and allows the user to more readily and easily slip the cord under and around their dental archwires. Be sure to let your child know that they must floss daily and gently. Let them know to take their time until they are used to this new practice so they don’t accidentally damage their doctor’s work and cause a dental wire to pop out of their brackets.
Even though brushing your teeth is a very important practice to maintain your child’s oral health, their teeth won’t be able to be fully cleaned by the bristles of their toothbrush. The dental bristles at the head of their toothbrush are largely designed to clean the exposed surfaces of your child’s teeth. While the bristles somewhat clean in between their teeth and gumline, they simply can't fully reach the space in between your child’s teeth or into their gumline as well as dental floss does. The area in between the teeth and gums is the main area where food will often get stuck. Once stuck, as the food particles start to break down, this will create the ideal environment where oral bacteria and tooth decay can occur. For this reason alone, your child must floss!
Now that you’re more educated on the practice of flossing while wearing braces, we are confident that you can assist you child as they begin their new oral cleaning practices. If you still have questions about flossing with braces or any other orthodontic services such as Invisalign®, feel free to contact us directly at (520) 571-1756 to schedule your first consultation. See you soon!
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