No matter how thoroughly you brush your teeth, you need to clean the space in between them and under your gums, where your toothbrush cannot reach. it can be a bit tricky to floss with braces, so take your time to find the option that works best for you. The video is definitely the best way to learn how to floss with braces, but we’ve also listed out the steps below if that’s more convenient for you!
Learn how to floss with braces
No matter how thoroughly you brush your teeth, you need to clean the space in between them and under your gums, where your toothbrush cannot reach. it can be a bit tricky to floss with braces, so take your time to find the option that works best for you.
Cut an 18 to 24-inch piece of floss and thread it under the arch wire.
1. Flossing with traditional floss
a. Wrap the floss around 1 tooth in the shape of the letter C and gently move the floss up and down.
b. Make sure to clean under the gums as this is a common place for food particles to get trapped.
2. Flossing with floss pick
a. You can also use floss picks designed specifically for braces, with a thinner side easy to fit under the arch wire.
b. Follow the same up and down motion and be careful not to touch your wire.
3. Flossing with a water jet
a. Another effective option to dislodge food particles is to use a water flosser. aim the tip at your gum line and let the after flow from your mouth into the sink.
At first, flossing may take a long time but as you practice, you’ll get faster and better at flossing your teeth! if you haven’t been flossing regularly you may notice some bleeding at first. if the bleeding doesn’t decrease over time with regular flossing, feel free to contact us at the clinic.
