Brushing and flossing takes a little more effort with braces. Here’s how to keep your teeth clean.
Braces create lots of new little spots for food and plaque to hide, so good cleaning habits matter more than ever during treatment.
Keeping your teeth and brackets clean prevents decay, staining and gum problems — and means your smile looks its best the day your braces come off.
It only takes a few extra minutes a day. The videos below walk through the techniques we recommend.
Brush after every meal where you can. Angle the brush to clean above and below each bracket, and take your time along the gumline.
Flossing is more difficult with braces in place, however can still be done well. You can either use the specialised orthodontic floss holder (provided to you) or normal floss as seen in the video.
A small interdental brush is great for cleaning around brackets and under the wire — the spots a normal toothbrush can miss.
A clean mouth is just one part of looking after your braces.
Browse the rest of our care advice for tips on eating comfortably and handling any tenderness during treatment.
Some foods can snap brackets or bend wires. Get to know what to avoid, and what’s still fine.
Some tenderness after getting fitted is completely normal — here’s what helps.
Brushing and flossing takes a little more effort with braces. Here’s how to keep your teeth clean.
Book a consultation with a specialist orthodontist to talk through your options and the right treatment for you.