How to Floss With Braces

Are you ready for a new smile with braces and want to keep your teeth strong and cavity-free during treatment?

Dental braces not only align your teeth but also reduce your chances of experiencing oral health issues in the long run. Visit Dr. Eric Gibbs to find out how braces will help you with your orthodontic problems and what you can do to ensure strong, healthy teeth in the long run. Brushing and flossing are essential after every meal to keep your teeth and gums fit throughout the orthodontic treatments. 

Dr. Gibbs ensures you understand the significance of daily flossing and learn about the most suitable technique with braces for healthy teeth and gums. The well-known dental specialist and top orthodontist, Dr. Gibbs, recommends the best flossing products and methods for your teeth and appliances so that you become a flossing pro in no time.

Flossing with braces is very important for healthy teeth and a dazzling smile. It helps to clean between teeth and scrub the hard-to-reach places when brackets and wires make it a challenge for the brush to go around them.

Flossing between each tooth once a day can prevent gum disease and tooth decay while the braces are working to align your teeth for a more confident smile.   Flossing after every meal will not only keep your teeth and braces clean but will also keep your treatment schedule on track.

There are various ways and techniques to floss. These techniques may make the process faster and easier and ensure you do not suffer any other dental complications while wearing braces.

What makes flossing with braces so important?

Flossing helps to remove plaque and prevent cavities and gum disease in the darker areas of the mouth where a toothbrush cannot clean thoroughly. Floss gets even into the far-off difficult spaces and cleans when a toothbrush does not reach around the brackets and under the wire.

Orthodontists recommend regular flossing if you are wearing braces, as cleaning between teeth can remove leftover food particles that result in bacterial growth and plaque buildup. The risk for plaque buildup, cavities, and gum disease increases dramatically. Flossing with braces is very important as it can protect your teeth and gums as well as the money you have invested in the orthodontics treatment.

Flossing with braces may seem an impossible task in the beginning. However, with a little practice, it becomes second nature and an extension of brushing your teeth.   With the easiest and most effective ways to floss your teeth with braces, you can look forward to clean, healthy, and strong teeth that give you a beautiful, confident smile.

Here are the key flossing techniques that will make flossing easy, quick, and effective.

Using a floss threader for flossing with braces

It is important to note that regular floss does not work the same way with braces as they normally do otherwise. You require an extra tool to get the floss beneath the archwire and remove the food particles stuck in the brackets or teeth. This tool is known as a floss threader. A floss threader is a small, thin, flexible plastic stick with a large loop on the end of a handle.

A floss threader works just like a needle and thread. The threader will act as a needle while the floss with be the thread.  The threader helps get past the wire and between each tooth conveniently.

How to use it:

• First, pass a piece of floss through the floss threader.
• Using the threader, thread the floss beneath the wire.
• Once the floss is beneath the wire, you can floss just like you normally would.
• After you have flossed one tooth, repeat the same process for each tooth.

Pros of using a floss threader

• It is very cost-effective – You can get a pack of floss threaders for a few dollars from your local pharmacy, or you may get it for free at your dental appointment.
• It is reusable – One pack of floss threaders can last for months or years.
• It is easy and simple – You already know how to floss, and the process is quite similar to what you are used to. No special equipment is needed. All you need is the threader and the floss to get started.

Cons of using a floss threader

• It can be tricky – Learning to use a floss threader can be tricky, particularly for kids who are doing it for the first time. It requires some hand skill and attention to do it right, and it may be tough for younger children.
• It takes longer than normal flossing – As you have to repeat the process of flossing beneath the wire for every tooth in the month, it takes longer to get every tooth cleaned.

Using a floss threader to floss with braces works well and many people prefer it for its cost-effectiveness and convenience. Talk to Dr. Gibbs or your local orthodontist about the benefits of using a floss threader for your teeth and if it is the right option for you. The specialist will help you understand how exactly it should be used for the best results.

Using Superfloss to floss with braces

Superfloss is actually a piece of floss, but with one stiff end. It works just like a floss threader.

The only difference is that you do not have to do the needle and thread process. Just take the stiff end of the floss and guide it beneath the archwire to floss the teeth.

Pros of using a Superfloss

• It is easier than using a floss threader – It does not take any time to learn to use it. Most adults and children figure out what to do pretty quickly.
• It is easily available everywhere – It can be purchased online or from your local drug pharmacy as it is a commonly used product.

Cons of using a Superfloss

• It takes time – You have to repeat the process of guiding the floss beneath the wire and cleaning each tooth which can take some time.
• It is not reusable – Superfloss is a one-time-use product. You will have to use a new piece each time you want to floss and throw it away once you are done. This is not an expensive product, but you will have to purchase several boxes as you wear braces.

Superfloss is a great way to clean your braces effectively after eating. Get a pack and try it out or ask your orthodontist to demonstrate the right way to use it to keep your teeth and gums healthy and to prevent decay.

Using Platypus Orthodontic Flosser for flossing with braces

Platypus Orthodontic Flossers is one of the quickest, and easiest ways to protect your gums and teeth from diseases and cavities while you wear braces. The narrow side of the flosser is designed to fit behind the archwire, which enables you to floss the entire mouth in about two minutes.

You can ask your orthodontist to understand how the Platypus Orthodontic Flosser works, or you can watch a video to see how to floss with this effective tool within a few minutes.

Pros of using Platypus Orthodontic Flosser

• It is quick and easy – Of all the flossing methods, it is the fastest and easiest. You can floss your entire mouth in two minutes or less.
• No need for a threader – There is no need for a threader which makes it an effective way to floss for young kids who find it hard to use threaders on their own.

Cons of using a Platypus Orthodontic Flosser

• It costs more – Platypus Orthodontic Flosser costs more than floss threaders as it is a one-time use product, and you will have to use a new floss every time and throw it afterward. However, it is still reasonably priced, and you can buy large packs to save money.
• It is not available easily – It is often difficult to find in stores, and you may have to order online. It is available in multiple-size packages, and you can buy the one that works best for you.

Using a Harp Orthodontic Flosser for flossing with braces

The Harp Orthodontic Flosser is very similar to the Platypus flosser.

It allows you to floss without the hassle of threading. Simply guide the small end of the flosser beneath the archwire to floss the entire mouth, and you will be done in a few minutes.

Consult your orthodontist regarding the effectiveness of this flossing method and if it would work for your braces.

Pros of using a Harp Orthodontic Flosser

• It is quick and easy – It takes less than two minutes to floss your entire mouth.
• It is simple and convenient – There is no need to thread which makes it a simple and convenient flossing method for everyone, even young children who wear braces.
• It is reusable – It can be reused for a week, which means total fewer flossers you will have to buy while you are wearing braces and less expense.

Cons of using a Harp Orthodontic Flosser for flossing with braces

• It costs more – It is costlier than floss threaders as you will need a new one each time you are flossing, but still, it is very reasonable, and you can purchase in bulk quantity which is affordable.
• It is not easily available – You may not find it at a local pharmacy as it is often difficult to find, but you can purchase it online or order it directly from the company website.

Using a Waterpik or Water Flosser for flossing with braces

Water flosser has become popular in recent years due to its easy usage and convenience for deep oral cleaning. A water flosser is a device that delivers a stream of pressurized pulsating water between the teeth, along the gum line, and around the braces. It eliminates the need for string floss and enables you to clean your braces within a few minutes daily.

Not only does it clean between the teeth like floss, but a water flosser can also remove food particles from even the hard to reach areas where brush cannot go. Waterpik is a popular brand of water flosser. 

Ask your orthodontist how a water flosser can help you floss with braces and keep them clean and free of cavities.

Pros of using a Waterpik or Water Flosser

• It eliminates the need for string – If you or your child find it hard to floss with string, a water flosser will solve all your problems. It is quick, easy, and allows you to floss the entire mouth within a matter of minutes.
• It works well around the braces and gum line – It is perhaps the best flossing method that works around the braces and gum, especially those areas where string floss cannot reach.
• It is a one-time investment – You just have to buy a water flosser once, and it will last the entire time you are wearing braces, and you can continue using it even after the braces come off.

Water floss is the most eco-friendly option available for cleaning your braces. It helps to get rid of all the food debris from your flossing routine most effectively. Your orthodontist will guide you regarding the best way to use it for clean and healthy teeth and gums while you wear braces.

Cons of using a Waterpik or Water Flosser

• It is costly – It is an expensive product that costs more than all other flossing methods. Portable units start around $30 while countertop units may cost up to $70.
• Non-portable units require a sink – You need to be near a sink to use a non-portable unit as access to water is a must.

Flossing is crucial to maintaining healthy teeth, and gums and avoiding bad breath with braces. Taking care of your teeth while you have braces may take some time, but it is worth the time and effort when the braces come off.

No matter which type of floss you choose, it will help to keep your teeth and gums clean, avoid plaque buildup and the risk of cavities. Knowing the pros and cons of various flossing methods will enable you to choose an easy and less time-consuming way of flossing with braces.

The experts at Gibbs Orthodontics Associates understand the challenges you go through while wearing braces and come up with the most suitable ways to make things easy for you. Schedule your appointment with Dr. Gibbs to understand more about the orthodontics treatment and how you can take care of your teeth while wearing braces to avoid any complications. As among the well known and most trusted orthodontists on the Upper East Side, Dr. Gibbs can explain the flossing methods in detail and help you determine which would work best for you. You can look forward to successful outcomes by learning how to floss with braces and get rid of food particles and bacterial growth that can lead to staining, gingivitis other oral health problems.