It’s tough enough to get your kids to floss when they don’t have braces, but now that they have them they could go months without flossing unless you encourage them to do it! Maybe you’re the one with adult braces, and as an adult you’re already frustrated getting used to having braces in the first place. Flossing with braces can be tricky, especially if you’ve never done it, but by following these simple steps, flossing does get easier! Your teeth and gums will thrive even with braces if you learn to floss while wearing braces. There are a handful of products that can help you achieve brilliant results.
Start by learning to use a floss threader, this handy tool will allow you to get the dental floss underneath the arch wire. Tear off about 18 to 20 inches of dental floss and feed it through the loop of the floss threader. Take the pointed end of the threader and gently place it underneath the arch wire, from the bottom up and pull it all the way through. Your floss is now beneath the wire and can be used regularly between the teeth. You will need to use the floss threader between each tooth with a bracket.
Like a floss threader, you can now buy stiff ended dental floss that is pre-cut. Insert the stiff ended floss underneath the arch wire just like a floss threader and floss away! Be sure to remember to floss under the gum line and in-between each tooth.
If handling floss and feeding it under wires becomes too cumbersome or difficult, you can try using dental floss picks which helps to avoid the whole task of getting the floss under wires. Floss picks have thin, soft bristles that can gently be pushed between teeth at the gum line. It’s important to floss daily with or without braces. Flossing with braces may take some getting used to, but if you make flossing an important part of your daily tooth care, it will make getting your braces off that much sweeter!