Oral Hygiene Tips for Kids with Traditional Metal Braces

Many parents have their children get braces so that they grow up with a beautiful smile. According to Healthline, an estimated 3.9 million children wear braces in the United States. For optimal results, it’s important to ensure that your children follow proper oral hygiene while wearing braces. Here are some tips for good oral hygiene with traditional metal braces.

Careful Cleaning

One of the most important things that kids with metal braces should do is clean their teeth and braces carefully. This is because plaque and bacteria are easily trapped inside and around the wires and brackets. Whenever you or your child cleans their teeth and braces, the first step should be to take off elastics and all the other removable parts of the orthodontic appliance. Once that’s done, the toothbrush should be held at a 45-degree angle to ensure that the areas around the wires and pins are clean. The toothbrush should be used to brush from the top of each wire down to the bottom. With the proper care, nearly all debris and plaque can be removed. This will keep their teeth and gums happy and healthy.

Flossing

Kids with traditional metal braces should floss once a day. If you are not sure how to floss with braces, then you will probably have a difficult time showing your kid how to do it. Fortunately, you can just talk to the orthodontist who applied the braces, and they will show you the best way to floss. You can also follow the instructions that you were given. While it is possible to use traditional floss with braces, there are better options. It’s important to find flossing products designed specifically for braces. This is because flossing products for orthodontics work different from regular dental floss. For instance, floss threaders will slide behind wires and in between teeth much more easily than regular floss.

Brushing the Gumline

Apart from brushing the wires and pins, it’s also important to show your child how to brush the gumline below the brackets. The brush should be held at a 45-degree angle, like when brushing the teeth. This allows the bristles to be pointed directly toward the gum line. Then, they simply brush like normal. Once that’s done, they can also brush on top of the brackets and below them.

If care is not taken to observe strict oral hygiene while your child has braces, they can end up with some serious problems later. Therefore, it is so important to maintain proper oral hygiene practices even while wearing traditional metal braces. If you have any questions about proper oral hygiene with braces or would like to learn more about our services, give Imagine Braces a call today! We are always happy to help!

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