The best way to remove decay-causing plaque is by brushing and cleaning between your teeth every day. Brushing removes plaque from the tooth surfaces. Be sure to catch Dr. Caudill’s blog about brushing.
Cleaning between the teeth once a day with floss removes plaque from between the teeth and in the areas where your toothbrush cannot reach. It is essential in preventing gum disease.
Flossing
Flossing with braces takes a few minutes to master, but the effort is well worth it. The first step to flossing is getting the floss under the wire that connects the braces together. A floss threader will help you get the dental floss underneath your archwires. Pre-cut dental floss with a built in threader is a very easy way to insert floss underneath archwires. Orthodontic flosser picks have been developed in the past few years and makes flossing a breeze (we highly recommended these as the easiest way to floss).
Once the floss is under the archwire it can be wrapped around the tooth on one side. The floss is then pushed up toward the gum line and then pulled down toward the wire. This should be repeated to ensure all plaque is removed. Be careful not to put too much pressure on the wire. Then wrap the floss around the neighboring tooth. Once both teeth are done, the floss is pulled out and the process repeated for the next two teeth.
Final Thoughts
Dr. Caudill and his team want you to remember that dental health is the key to good overall health. Maintain your regular dental appointments, brush, floss, and then RELAX.
