- Start brushing where the tooth crown meets the gum surface. Hold your toothbrush so the bristles are at a 45-degree angle with the gumline, and brush in a circular motion, working your way around your mouth from one side to the other. Spend about 10 seconds brushing each tooth.
- Brush the brackets on your teeth one by one. Spend about 10 seconds brushing each bracket in a circular motion until you have cleaned every one of your teeth.
- Clean under your archwires. Tilt your toothbrush so the bristles can get into the area between your braces.
- Brush the chewing surface of all your teeth.
- Brush the inside surfaces of all the teeth.
- Rinse your mouth and then floss. Dr Saicich and the team can show you the best way to floss. You may also want to use a flossing product designed for braces, like a floss threader.
- Rinse and check your teeth. Rinse thoroughly with water or mouth rinse, and examine your teeth and braces in the mirror.
Rinse and brush your retainer regularly. This helps remove plaque that can build up on the surface. You can use a regular toothbrush and toothpaste which is sufficient to clean your retainer.
You can also soak your retainer in a glass of water with baking soda, mild vinegar or denture tablets to the water. Never use bleach or alcohol-based mouthwash as these products can damage the plastic and potentially your mouth. Do not use boiling water on your retainer as it can warp the metal and melt the plastic.
If you don’t have to wear a retainer very often (for example, you only wear it every other night), store it in a container with sufficient airflow so it doesn’t breed mold and bacteria.
