Blog > Brushing and Flossing with Braces: A Guide by Aspen Orthodontics

Brushing and Flossing with Braces: A Guide by Aspen Orthodontics

When you have braces, it's very important to brush and floss after every meal in order to keep your teeth and gums healthy throughout your orthodontic treatment. If you need help choosing the right toothbrush, toothpaste, and dental floss, please ask us and we can help you choose the right products for your teeth and your appliance.

Brushing with dental braces

Brush your teeth for two minutes after every meal with a soft-bristled, small-headed toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste. As an alternative, you can use a powered toothbrush to increase your brushing effectiveness.

Brush the outside and inside surfaces of your teeth using small, gentle, circular motions while positioning the head of the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to the gum line.

Brush your teeth’s chewing surfaces and the inside surface of your front teeth using short, gentle, back-and-forth motions. Pay close attention to the areas around your brackets or other appliances.

Flossing with dental braces

Flossing after every meal will help keep your teeth and braces clean, which will also help keep your treatment time on track.

To floss with braces, use a floss threader or special orthodontic floss to thread the floss behind each wire. Wrap the ends of the floss around your pointer fingers of both hands, leaving a few inches of taut floss between them. Gently slide the floss between each set of teeth using a back and forth motion. Floss the sides of each tooth beneath the gum line to remove plaque and food particles.

Repeat this process until you’ve flossed all of your teeth. If you find that your floss is not removing all of the food particles between your teeth and around your braces, ask us about a water flosser!

Ready to Transform Your Smile?

Discover how our expert orthodontic care can make a difference.
Schedule a Consultation
Interested in Learning More About Orthodontic Options? Dive deeper into our range of treatments and find what’s best for your smile.

See What Our Patients Are Saying

  • "Dr. Hunsaker and all the staff at Aspen ortho are amazing! The attention to detail is above all. It is always a great friendly experience going to each visit. Highly recommend."
    Jamie S.
  • "Every employee that works here is very customer friendly and they are good at what they do. They are very considerate for each and every person and always are helpful with scheduling appointments."
    Kyle H.
  • "Katie and Dr. Mehdipour are amazing. So nice and knowledgeable. The communication is awesome also- with receiving text messages when I can’t be chair side. Aspen Orthodontics doesn’t miss a beat!"
    Paula L.
  • "Everything from initial consult to scheduling to start of treatment has run smoothly. The staff had been friendly and easy to work with and my daughter is looking forward to perfect teeth!"
    Adrian H.
  • "They did a great job with both of my boys, one of whom has an extremely complicated case. I would definitely recommend this office."
    Jocelyn R.
Schedule Consultation
crossmenucross-circle