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Brushing & Flossing

OrthoVille strives to insure that all our patients have healthy smiles and great oral hygiene.

The building blocks to realizing these goals start with proper brushing and flossing. Food can accumulate on teeth and braces that will then turn into plaque, which can lead to serious dental problems. This is why brushing and flossing is needed. The following cleaning methods will keep your mouth healthy and make sure that your orthodontic treatment ends with the best possible result.

Brushing

To guarantee great oral hygiene, follow these brushing steps:

  • First, place a small strip of toothpaste onto a soft-bristled toothbrush.
  • Hold your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle, pointed toward your gum line.
  • Start by brushing in small, circular motions in order to reach food particles that may be trapped underneath your gum line.
  • Repeat this for the outsides of all your teeth, making sure to brush all of your teeth, your braces, and the areas between them. Brush up on your lower teeth and brush down on your upper teeth.
  • Do this same method for the insides of your teeth.
  • Use a back-and-forth brushing technique to clean the chewing surfaces of your upper and lower teeth.
  • Finally, brush your tongue and the roof of your mouth before rinsing.

We recommend brushing your teeth several times a day during orthodontic treatment in order to avoid the accumulation of food particles in your teeth and braces. Recommended times are:

  • After breakfast
  • After lunch or after school
  • After dinner
  • Before bedtime

As soon as your bristles start to wear down or fray, you should replace your toothbrush with a new one.

Flossing

To maintain the best possible oral hygiene, it’s important to floss daily. There are areas between the teeth where your brush can’t reach; this is where flossing becomes critical. Dental floss can remove these trapped food particles. Our Montreal office can provide you with instructions on how to use a floss threader (or easythread/super floss) that can make the process easier.

We recommend flossing at night to make sure your teeth are clean before going to bed. When you first begin flossing, your gums may bleed a little. Don’t worry; this is completely normal. However, if the bleeding doesn’t go away after the first several times, please inform us at your next appointment.

Questions?

Our team will be happy to help.

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