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Cleaning fixed braces and brackets: tips and tricks
People with fixed braces should pay particular attention to their dental care. Braces make it more difficult to brush your teeth and provide bacteria with ideal hiding places. Food scraps and plaque can accumulate in the corners and edges of the brackets and promote tooth decay and periodontitis. But don't worry: with the right dental care and the innovative products from emmi-dent, this can be reliably prevented. In particular, our ultrasonic toothbrush offers a unique solution for people with braces, providing thorough and gentle cleaning. But how can fixed braces be optimally cleaned? And what tools are needed to do this?
Challenges of cleaning fixed braces
With fixed braces, the brackets are attached directly to the teeth. The wires are fixed to the brackets with rubber bands or wires (conventional brackets) or held in place by a flap in the bracket (self-ligating brackets). This creates numerous hiding places for food particles in the mouth. It is easier for plaque to form between the elements, and the natural oral cleansing provided by saliva flow is restricted. This is where the emmi-dent ultrasonic toothbrush comes into play – it also reaches the hard-to-reach areas around the brackets and cleans thoroughly without damaging the braces. That is why it is important to have the right tools in the bathroom to be able to clean the fixed braces effectively.
Why an ultrasonic toothbrush?
The emmi-dent ultrasonic toothbrush has been specially developed for people with braces and dental appliances, among other things. Unlike conventional electric toothbrushes, which clean by means of rotating movements, the emmi-dent toothbrush works with ultrasound. The gentle vibrations penetrate deep into the hard-to-reach areas around the brackets and wires, loosening plaque and bacteria without damaging the brackets. This achieves a more thorough cleaning than is possible with a normal toothbrush. Braces thus benefit from effective dental care and can better prevent tooth decay and inflammation.
Clean your fixed braces in 5 steps
A thorough dental care routine is essential to keep your fixed braces in good condition and your teeth healthy. You should spend at least five minutes twice a day on dental care for your fixed braces. These five steps will help:
1. Rinse your mouth with water after every meal to loosen any leftover food.
2. Clean teeth with the emmi-dent ultrasonic toothbrush: The metal bands of the fixed braces and the brackets on the top and bottom must be thoroughly cleaned. The ultrasonic waves also reach hard-to-reach places and ensure thorough cleaning without damaging the braces.
3. Clean the chewing surfaces and insides of the teeth.
4. Use an interdental brush to clean under the metal arches and between the brackets: A single-tuft brush can also be helpful for cleaning the teeth around the brackets and at the gum line. Superfloss, a special dental floss with reinforced ends for threading, can also be used for the interdental spaces.
5. Rinse the mouth with mouthwash.
What else is important?
Fluoride: Fluoride is very effective at protecting against cavities. It is particularly important for people with fixed braces to use a fluoride toothpaste and to apply a high-dose fluoride gel once a week. A sealant around the brackets and regular professional teeth cleaning by an orthodontist are also recommended.
Tooth care for on the go: A small tooth care set for school or on the go is very practical and contains all the necessary tools.
Prevent dental disease and tooth decay with fixed braces
Regular and thorough cleaning of fixed braces is essential to prevent dental disease such as tooth decay and periodontitis. With the right care for your teeth and braces, your teeth will not only stay healthy, but also free of plaque and bacteria that can collect around the brackets. Methods such as brushing your teeth with an ultrasonic toothbrush and using an interdental brush for those hard-to-reach areas are particularly effective. To avoid long-term damage to your teeth, you should also regularly have your teeth cleaned by a professional orthodontist or dentist in addition to your daily care. This comprehensive care protects your teeth from cavities and ensures that your teeth remain beautiful and healthy even during and after treatment with fixed braces.