Oral Hygiene with Braces
Once you have your orthodontic appliances or braces in place, keeping your teeth, gums and appliances clean is very important.
Braces, wires, bands and retainers can all trap food particles and make it difficult to brush or floss away plaque. Careful brushing and flossing, preferably after every meal and snack is the best way to prevent plaque build up, tooth decay and gum disease.
Follow Dr. Panucci’s recommendations to learn how to keep up good oral hygiene while wearing braces and maintain a healthy smile for life.
Start with the outside of the teeth, with the brush at a straight angle. Use circular, vibrating angles.
Floss at least once per day. The floss needs to be pulled underneath the arch wire, a floss threader facilitates this. Start by pulling floss through the threader.
When you are finished brushing and flossing, rinse your mouth carefully with water or a mouth rinse such as Peroxyl.
An interdental toothbrush (proxabrush) is another aid you might find useful to keep your teeth, braces and gums clean and healthy. It can be used to clean under orthodontic wires and around braces. Use this device slowly and carefully, so you do not damage your braces.
Orthodontic appliances tend to accumulate food particles and plaque just like teeth do. Every time you brush your teeth, brush your removable appliances. This is best done by holding the retainer under a stream of cold water and brushing it with a clean toothbrush (do not use toothpaste). For freshening your retainer, it may be dipped into a mild mouthwash solution for a few seconds. Click here for more information about 
For most situations, common sense will prevail and tell you what foods to avoid. Hard foods can break or damage wires and brackets. Sticky foods can get caught between wires and brackets. Also try to minimize your sugary foods as they cause tooth decay and related problems.
