How to Brush and Floss with Lingual Braces

Lingual braces offer an amazing and invisible way of getting that perfect smile you’ve always wanted. They are just as efficient as traditional braces, but offer the unique advantage of being completely invisible!

They are invisible because they are behind your teeth. But orthodontic treatment with lingual braces is not just about the beautiful smile and straight teeth you’ll get at the end of treatment.

It is also about making sure that everything goes smoothly on your way to your dream smile. Much of that relies on excellent oral hygiene habits. So let’s talk about how to keep your mouth, teeth, and braces clean during orthodontic treatment with lingual braces.

How To Brush Your Teeth With Lingual Braces

Brushing with lingual braces is easy to do on the outside of the teeth. However, more attention to detail is needed when brushing the inside of your teeth.

Why is brushing with lingual braces important?

You are more likely to get food and debris stuck on your teeth with braces. This could increase the risk of cavities and gum disease. Brushing also helps improve your stinky breath.

Types of toothbrushes:

We recommend using an electric toothbrush for all brushing needs. The most common electric toothbrushes currently on the market are Sonicare or OralB, but there are many more to choose from. A manual toothbrush is also fine but requires a little more work.

Hard or soft bristles?

We recommend soft-bristled toothbrushes, always. Hard-bristled toothbrushes can wear your teeth down and injure your gums.

Types of toothpaste:

There is a large selection of toothpaste available. The brand of toothpaste will not make or break your oral health. However, we recommend that you use fluoridated over non-fluoridated toothpaste. Fluoride is a key ingredient in strengthening your teeth’s enamel. If you have specific questions related to your personal situation, it is best to consult with your general dentist or orthodontist.

How long to brush?

We recommend brushing for 2-3 minutes 2-3x daily. Ideally, you are brushing after every meal. The most important time to brush is before going to bed.

Brushing technique with lingual braces:

• Remove any rubber bands, wax, or clear aligner
• Clean the front and then back of the teeth. Clean one tooth at a time, starting from the back and going all around. Use a small concentric motion to remove any food or debris from your braces and wires.
• Repeat as necessary so that the total brushing time is 3 minutes.

Flossing Your Teeth With Lingual Braces

Flossing is a little trickier with braces. The good news is that flossing does not change whether you have braces on the outside of your teeth or on the inside of your teeth.

Choosing the right floss for you may take some time, and you may need the process of experimenting with various methods of flossing with your lingual braces until you find the most successful. Here is some information on the proper flossing techniques.

Why is flossing with lingual braces important?

Plaque, tartar, food debris often build up in hard-to-reach places. One of the most common places where debris gets stuck in between your teeth. Wearing braces increases the potential for food to get stuck between the teeth, thereby increasing the risk of cavities and gum disease.

Flossing helps alleviate this problem by removing any food or plaque build-up in between the teeth and your lingual braces.

Types of floss

The type of floss doesn’t really matter. It is how you use it that determines your oral health outcomes.

Floss comes in five main forms:

1. Waxed floss
2. Unwaxed floss
3. Polytetrafluorethylene floss (PTFE)
4. Super floss
5. Dental tape

All of these can be flavored or unflavored.

The type of floss you use is largely up to personal preference. However, general guidelines for choosing floss when wearing lingual braces are that super floss is the best choice. Super floss is made of durable, yarn-like material and has stiff ends that allow for easy maneuvering. Here is a video for how to use super floss.

Waxed floss can be stronger than other flosses, and slides easier between teeth, which is ideal for those with very tight spacing. Unwaxed floss can get into those tight spaces too, but it tends to shred.

Dentists tend to recommend dental tape for those with good spacing between teeth because it’s thick and wide. It’s also strong. PTFE is strong and fits in crowded teeth best.

How can I make flossing with lingual braces easier?

Flossing is the tried and true method for preventing build-up between the teeth. However, trying and true does not mean the best or most efficient. There are alternatives to using floss to clean between your teeth when you have lingual braces.

1. Water-irrigation devices: These devices generate a stream of water that removes inter-dental plaque and food debris. They come in many forms (Waterpik being one) and are easy to use, especially for patients with braces (lingual or traditional).
2. Floss-threaders, and floss-holders: These little devices make it easier to get the floss between the wire and the tooth. It does take a little getting used to, but once the technique is perfected, it makes flossing with braces a little less tricky. The good news is that these devices are cheap and widely available.

How often should I floss with lingual braces?

You should be flossing 1-2 times daily when you wear lingual braces. It is best to floss after brushing and before going to bed.

The most important aspect of caring for your teeth during orthodontic treatment is regularity. You should consistently brush and floss with lingual braces after every meal. We also recommend that you visit your general dental office for a cleaning every 4-6 months during orthodontic treatment.

Four months, maybe more often than you are used to, but it is worth the time and investment to protect your orthodontic investment. Your reward will be a beautiful and healthy smile on the day you get your braces off!

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