Tooth Brushing
The photos in this section show the correct way to brush your teeth when wearing braces.
Type of brush
Always use a good quality soft brush with a small head. The bristles should be straight. As soon as the bristles start to bend or “dog ear”, throw away the brush and get a new one with straight soft bristles again.
Angle the brush slightly sometimes towards the brackets and some times towards the gum- these are the two important areas where plaque accumulates the most. Always brush in a gentle circular action. Some people tend to scrub the teeth in a side to side motion- do not do this since it can cause damage to the gums over a period of time.
Brush the outside of the teeth first, starting with molar teeth on one side and brushing each tooth several times as you move the brush around to the opposite molars. Brush the top, then the bottom teeth.
Once you have finished brushing the outside of the teeth, then do the same circular motion on the inside. Remember, you still have to keep the rest of your tooth surfaces clean as well.
The spiral tooth brush (“bottle” brush)
These special brushes are excellent for cleaning the difficult area under the wire and between the orthodontic brackets. Move the brush up and down between the wire and the teeth as shown above. Do this between each pair of brackets around the mouth.
