Prepare for the School Year Equipped With a Handy Braces Toolkit!

Having braces comes with certain responsibilities. This includes using the right tools to keep your mouth healthy and clean while wearing braces. Listed below are the tools needed to maintain oral hygiene while wearing braces while going to school.

• Water Flosser

The water flosser is an electric toothbrush that can be used in place of string floss to rinse food from between teeth, as well as between the braces and around brackets. While there is no replacement for traditional flossing, water flossers offer an option for those who struggle with regular flossing or who have braces that make it difficult to reach certain areas in the mouth with a manual toothbrush. Using this product at least once a day can help to keep teeth and braces clean while preventing cavities and other oral health issues.

The water flosser uses a thin jet of water to clean teeth and gums. As it sprays water into the mouth, it also blasts away plaque and food particles that are lodged in hard-to-reach areas. It can reach way behind the teeth and into pockets where bacteria can hide. This can help prevent cavities by getting rid of the bacteria that can lead to decay. 

Many orthodontists or dentists recommend the water flosser to their young patients to help them keep their oral hygiene on track during orthodontic treatment. It is often best if children use a water flosser in addition to brushing and flossing with a regular toothbrush and a strand of floss. This helps to make sure that all food and plaque are removed from the mouth. Using this tool daily can help to prevent tooth decay, gingivitis, and other common oral problems that can occur when teeth are not properly cleaned.

• Dental Floss

No matter whether your child wears metal or ceramic braces, he or she will need to be diligent about flossing to keep those pearly whites healthy and properly aligned. Without proper dental care, food particles and bacteria can remain trapped between the teeth and around the brackets, increasing the risk of cavities and other oral health problems.

A water flosser is a great way to clean around brackets when traditional string floss isn’t effective. These devices use a stream of pressurized water to spray away plaque and food debris from between teeth and gums. Water flossers are safe to use with orthodontic appliances and can help reduce the risk of cavities and canker sores. Look for a model that has an adjustable setting so you can easily control the pressure.

• Interdental Brushes

Most children will not need an interdental brush until their teenage years when they have all of their baby teeth in and all of their permanent teeth have erupted. An interdental brush is most useful for helping clean between all of the teeth and around each bracket on a child’s braces.

The easiest place to find your child’s interdental brushes is in your orthodontist’s office. Your orthodontist may provide you with a handy carrying case for the brush heads so you can easily store them until they are needed. You can buy additional sets for your child to keep at home as well. 

• Toothpicks

Another popular option is a disposable toothpick. This is a very small stick of bamboo or plastic that is sharpened to a point on one edge. The pointed end is used to clean the areas around the brackets and under the wires. However, using a toothpick can be difficult to maneuver into place correctly. It can also slip out of place easily, leaving food and plaque trapped between your teeth.