Whether or not you have braces, flossing is a crucial part of the dental hygiene regiment that is often overlooked or skipped. What happens when you skip flossing after brushing? Your teeth and gum line are more prone to develop plaque buildup, eventually causing infection.
When you make it a point to floss, you get to eliminate plaque, significantly reduce the risks of cavities, and you also get to prevent the chances of having gum diseases. What makes it all the more important to floss when you have braces on is that the plaque buildup, along with food residue, can cause you to have a bad breath.
With proper flossing, you get to keep bad breath at bay. If you’re wondering how you should properly floss when you have your braces on, we’re here to give you a few tips that are sure to help.
How to Floss with Braces
1- Floss on a Daily Basis
Before you know how to floss when you have the brackets and wires of your orthodontic appliance stuck to your teeth, it is important for you to first know that flossing every day, and ideally twice when you have braces, is a must. Doing so, you won’t have to deal with added dental issues later on in life or when you’re finally off braces.
2- The Right Way
While flossing is quite an essential part of your oral health and hygiene regime, how effective it ends up being depends completely on how well you floss. To begin with, you need around 20 to 24 inches of floss. Once you break it off, wind one end of the floss around your middle finger while you leave around a couple of inches of it to clean your teeth. The remaining part of the floss, that is the couple of inches that you leave for cleaning, should be held between your thumb and index finger.
Now that you have a tight grip, gently move the floss in an up-and-down motion between the teeth. When the floss approaches the gums, be extra gentle and slow as exerting too much force or being too quick may cause bruises. When the floss reaches the bottom of the tooth, go back up after angling it like a “C”. These steps have to be repeated several times for each gap between the teeth.
3- The Type of Floss
Since flossing gets trickier when you have braces, you might want to consider options in flossing materials to make the task more convenient. Dental tapes are a little wider than their standard counterparts. These are considered the best option for braces. Standard floss is quite thin, and super floss is a little stiffer, and is also considered a great option when you’ve got braces.
HP Thoughts: A healthy smile, a good set of teeth, and a clean mouth are essential for proper oral and dental care. Know how these affect your overall appearance — How Do Your Teeth Affect the Rest of Your Face.
Conclusion:
Maintaining dental hygiene while on braces is something you can never be discounted off. A reliable orthodontist North Vancouver would explain how you should floss your teeth on the daily, it is for you to understand what’s the best way to floss and keep at it every single day so that your pearly whites not only align properly but are also free of plaque buildup.
