Toothbrushing during Orthodontic Treatment

One of the common concerns about orthodontics is that the brackets might cause decay. Actually, the parts of your teeth that are covered by your orthodontic bands are protected from decay as long as the cement under the bands is holding properly. However, the bands do make certain places on your teeth harder to clean. The brackets, bands, tubes and wires that stick out away from the teeth tend to make a little shelf around the outside of the teeth and it is this shelf that may cause problems.

The shelf makes it harder to get at the spaces between the bands and gums with your toothbrush. If you do not remove ALL the plaque from around the bands, wires, teeth and under the gums, the gums will swell and become even more difficult to clean. Continued neglect of these areas will result in decay and periodontal (gum) disease.

Here are some suggestions that can help you know when and how to clean your teeth during orthodontic treatment.

When: Within five minutes after you eat. This includes snacks as well as meals. A travel toothbrush for your pocket or purse is perfect for when you are away from home.

How: Brush the "wrong way" first. That is, move the brush back and forth between the wires and the gums in the upper and lower to loosen the food particles.

Next, brush the correct way as you have been shown:

A.  Start on the outside of the uppers. Angle the brush towards the gums and use a "wiggly"
     or circular motion.Brush carefully all the way around, brushing ten times in each spot before 
     moving on.

B.  Same thing on the inner surfaces of the uppers, brushing down as the teeth grow.

C.  Scrub the chewing surfaces last.

D.  Start at the same places on the lower teeth and repeat the process; brushing up as the 
      teeth grow.

Rinse your mouth and toothbrush. Look in the mirror to see if you missed any places. Check the little half-moon shaped spaces of tooth between the bracket and the gum, and the space between the molar tube and the gum (this is a particularly difficult area to clean.) If you see any areas you have missed, keep brushing.

When you have finished, the bands and wires should be free of all food particles and plaque. The bands should look clean and shiny. The small half-moon shaped area of tooth between band and gum should be clean and the gum margin should be distinct and clean. The gums should look a light pink color and be firm and fresh looking.

Remember: TEETH THAT ARE CLEAN WILL NOT DECAY AND WILL GIVE YOU A HEALTHIER SMILE. SPARKLING CLEAN TEETH AND APPLIANCES MEANS YOUR TEETH ARE SAFE DURING ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT.