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:

Why do I have to floss with braces?

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 (yikes).

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. 

Flossing with different types of braces

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 I floss with braces?

Flossing your teeth once a day is required, but twice a day is preferred. 

How to Floss with Braces: Step-by-Step

Did you know:

• 73% of people say flosses, picks, and other tools are difficult to maneuver
• 92% of people would floss more if it was easier

(Dentistry Today)

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!

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:

Floss Threaders

What is the best way to floss with braces? One of the best dental floss 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: 

1. Pass a bit of floss through the floss threader loop
2. String the floss threader underneath your archwire
3. Once the floss is under the archwire, you can floss as you normally would without braces
4. Repeat these steps for each tooth! 

Super Floss

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.

Traditional Waxed Floss

If you choose to stick with traditional floss, here’s how to do it:

1. Take a piece of floss (long enough to have about one to two inches of floss between your fingers).
2. Thread the floss through the gap between your teeth and the archwire, where two teeth meet.
3. Pull the floss through and floss normally between the teeth. Be careful not to pull downward with the floss, so you don’t pop your archwire out of place.
4. Remove the floss, and thread it again through each tooth the same way. 

Dedicate about 5 to 10 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.

Still have questions about flossing for braces?

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.