Flossing and Orthodontics

To make your braces last, you need to take care of them. Part of that job is avoiding the hard, tough, sticky, sugary and starchy foods that can damage or break your braces. Another part of taking care of them is keeping them clean.

Flossing your teeth is something that you should do once a day at the very least. However, when you wear braces, you need floss, as well as brush after every meal and snack. The reason for this is because your braces provide extra places for food particles to collect. No matter how carefully you brush, your toothbrush may miss some areas because of your braces.

You need to make sure that you can reach under the wires of your braces. This can be frustrating with regular dental floss, and it may take a long time to work the floss under your wires. With a floss threader, you can pull the dental floss under the wire and clean those areas well. A floss pick has floss mounted between two prongs, which you can also reach under the wire. Once the floss is in place, you should floss your teeth as you normally do, which is to curve the floss around the tooth, and floss under and then away from your gumline. A water flosser can also help clean between your teeth, but many dental professionals recommend using floss when you can. Talk to our orthodontist, Dr. Youssef Saad at Pearl Smile Dental in Fort Worth, Texas, to see what he would like you to do when it comes to cleaning between your teeth. To get started on your new smile, call 817-921-3400 for an appointment today.