Did you know that you play a key role in creating your new smile? Your braces will do a lot of the work, but you’re still responsible for at-home care!
One of the easiest ways to ensure that you have a beautiful and bright smile after your braces are removed is by committing to a nightly flossing routine.
Flossing with traditional braces is a little different from flossing without braces, so your team at Greater Northwest Orthodontics is here to support you with a complete guide. It doesn’t have to be complicated!
Here’s what you need to know:
Braces create small spaces around brackets and wires where food and bacteria can accumulate. Without daily flossing, plaque buildup can lead to:
Flossing daily helps prevent these issues and keeps your gums healthy, supporting the overall success of your orthodontic treatment.
First things first, can we just neglect flossing altogether during our treatment? Wouldn’t that be the easiest option.
Yes, neglecting your floss would require the least work now, but you’ll be paying for it very soon by risking gum disease, cavities or bad breath.
Flossing is absolutely essential—with or without braces. No matter the type of orthodontic treatment you choose (Invisalign® or your preferred type of braces) or if you don’t undergo treatment at all, you still need to make flossing a part of your daily oral hygiene regimen.
As the ADA (American Dental Association) says, “Cleaning between teeth removes plaque that can lead to cavities or gum disease from the areas where a toothbrush can’t reach.”
Your toothbrush brushes the surfaces of your teeth, but think of all the spaces between your teeth, where food particles get stuck and bacteria starts to build up over time. Not flossing with braces will cause food to continue building between your teeth throughout the day, leading to plaque build-up, gum disease, and cavities.
As you can imagine, flossing during Invisalign treatment is a different experience than flossing with braces. With Invisalign®, simply remove your clear aligners to brush and floss as you normally would when you weren’t in orthodontic treatment.
We also offer InBrace® truly invisible braces that don’t use traditional brackets and wires. These braces use an innovative Smartwire® system attached to the back surfaces of the teeth. You can brush and floss normally with InBrace too! The Smartwire loops won’t block your floss from reaching between each tooth.
How often should you floss with braces? Flossing your teeth once a day is required, but twice a day is preferred.
Did you know:
There are a number of different types of flosses that are specially designed to maneuver around metal braces and clear braces. Nobody should feel discouraged from flossing!
For an easier alternative, use a water flosser or interdental brush as a supplemental cleaning method.
Floss threaders and super floss are ideal alternatives to traditional waxed floss. Here’s how to floss with each type of floss during orthodontic treatment:
What is the best way to floss with braces? One of the best dental flosses for braces is the specialized floss threader. The floss threader makes it especially easy to reach the spaces between each tooth.
Here’s how to floss with braces, using a floss threader:
Super floss is essentially a string of floss with a firm end that can be pushed through the teeth. Super floss works similarly to a floss threader, except you don’t have to “string” the floss through. You simply direct the solid finish of floss underneath your archwire, between your teeth, and floss your teeth as normal.
If you choose to stick with traditional floss, here’s how to do it:
Dedicate several minutes to your brushing and flossing regimen every night to keep your teeth beautiful and healthy.
When you take care of your teeth, they take care of you! Your teeth will reward you with a healthy, radiant smile.
You should floss at least once a day, ideally before bedtime. This allows you to remove all food particles and plaque that have accumulated throughout the day, reducing your risk of gum disease and tooth decay.
When flossing, you want to avoid:
Here are some questions patients often ask about flossing with braces:
Yes, but using a floss threader or orthodontic floss will make the process easier.
Water flossers are helpful but should be used in addition to traditional flossing methods for best results.
Yes. Brushing alone doesn’t clean between teeth and under the gumline, where plaque can build up.
We’ll tell you everything you need to know about flossing with braces when you visit us for your complimentary consultation! Dr. Tripti Pawar and our experienced team are here for you every step of the way.
Our goal is for you to leave your first visit with all of the information you need to undergo a successful, happy treatment experience. We’ll show you how to properly floss with braces and discuss proper oral hygiene care.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us with any questions! If you’re looking for an Issaquah orthodontist, we’d love to meet you and help you find your perfect smile. Take the first step today by requesting a complimentary consultation with us or get started with an online smile assessment today.
