Floss first, then brush. Flossing loosens plaque and food between your teeth and around brackets, and brushing afterwards sweeps it away and lets fluoride toothpaste reach more of each tooth. A water flosser is a helpful extra with braces, but it doesn’t replace floss.
Why floss before you brush?
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends flossing before brushing: research has found it removes more plaque between the teeth and leaves more fluoride on them afterwards. The most important thing, though, is cleaning between your teeth once a day, every day, in whichever order you’ll actually do it.
A simple daily routine with braces
- Once a day (bedtime is easiest): floss each tooth, using a floss threader or orthodontic flosser to get under the wire.
- Use a small tree-shaped brush between brackets.
- If you have a water flosser, use it now to flush out what’s left.
- Brush after meals and before bed with a soft toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste: angle the bristles down toward the brackets from above, then up from below the wire, and along the gumline.
- Can’t brush right after eating? Rinse well with water until you can.
How do I use a water flosser with braces?
A water flosser sprays a thin, pulsing stream of water that rinses food and plaque from between teeth and around brackets. The American Dental Association says flossers with its Seal of Acceptance have been tested to remove plaque and help reduce early gum disease, and that they can help people with braces, who find hand flossing harder.
- Fill it with lukewarm water and start on the lowest pressure setting.
- Lean over the sink and close your lips around the tip so it doesn’t splash.
- Aim the tip at the gumline and trace along it, pausing briefly between teeth and around each bracket.
- Do the inside and outside of the top and bottom teeth.
- Turn the pressure up gradually as your gums get used to it.
Can a water flosser replace floss?
Not on its own. It’s a good way to flush out food around brackets, but floss or small brushes do a better job of scraping off sticky plaque between teeth. Use both if you can. If a water flosser is the only thing you’ll use every day, that’s still far better than nothing; tell us, and we’ll check your gums at your next visit.
My gums bleed when I floss. Should I stop?
No. Bleeding is usually a sign of plaque at the gumline. Keep flossing and brushing gently. If it doesn’t improve within a week or two, let us or your dentist know. Keep seeing your dentist for regular cleanings while you have braces.
