How should I clean my braces?

How you clean your brace will all depend on which one you’re being treated with – but regardless of design, keeping on top of your dental hygiene, including keeping your brace scrupulously clean, is very important. Poor dental hygiene can lead to all sorts of bigger complications later down the line and it would be such a shame to complete your braces Windsor treatment to then have to begin treatment for gum disease or decay.

How to clean fitted braces

If you’ve had wire braces fitted by someone like this orthodontist in Scottsdale, or ceramic ones, you need to make sure you’re keeping on top of cleaning in all the tricky gaps. Dentists normally recommend investing in a special brush designed to reach between the plates. They are usually bristled and on long sticks and make easy work of getting inside the hard-to-reach areas where plaque and tartar are most likely to build up. You can also get interdental brushes. These tiny brushes reach between the teeth and where the tooth meets the gum line – perfect to avoid gum disease and much easier to use than traditional flossing. It goes without saying you should be continuing to brush your teeth a minimum of twice daily, but most dentists suggest after every meal. Your braces will mean it’s far, far easier for food and bacteria to get trapped in your teeth, best to get it out as soon as possible.

How to clean removable aligners

First things first, you need to remember to clean your aligners daily, it sounds obvious, but they can very easily get forgotten and neglected. Yes, you will be changing your aligners regularly, but this isn’t a reason to get careless – any bacteria can multiply quickly  and cause your mouth trouble. Remember cleaning and rinsing your braces are not the same thing. Yes, popping them under the tap for 20 seconds may well make them look clean, but it can be guaranteed there are lots of bacteria sitting on their surface.

Here’s a quick guide to a proper clean; rinse under water, brush the aligner with a soft bristle brush but not your toothbrush, use clear liquid soap for any food, rinse after brushing. Do not use hot water or scrub hard; these could damage the braces.

It could seriously be worth investing in some cleaning solution tablets or cleaning crystals, these are products you use to soak your aligner in to get rid of any nasty plaque build-up, but also just give your aligners back their shine. These are  easily available online or at your local chemist. Do not use denture cleaners, mouthwash, scented soaps or toothpaste – these could all cause damage to the aligner too.

You should, as with wire braces, continue to brush twice daily as a minimum and practise either flossing or using an interdental brush and keep on top of attending your check-up appointments. Do not eat wearing your aligners or drink any fluids of strong colour, as this can cause permanent staining and your once beautiful invisible brace will be very much visible.