Blog Resources
Video Resources
How to Brush Your Teeth With Braces
Once you get braces, you've doubled the surfaces you need to keep clean. Brackets create little nooks and crannies that trap food and plaque, which makes brushing more important (and a bit trickier).
Here's what to focus on:
- It's all about the angle of your toothbrush.
- To clean above the brackets, angle your toothbrush down toward the gums.
- Then reverse the angle to get below the brackets, brushing up from the gumline.
- You still need to floss daily.
If needed, look for a tool like the Platypus flosser.
Here's how it works:
- Use the thin edge of the flosser to slide under the wire between your teeth.
- That lets you floss like normal, without damaging your braces.
How Do I Keep My Expander Clean?
Let's start with cleaning the teeth attached to the expander:
- Think of the expander as an extension of your tooth.
- Brush the outside, top, and inside of the expander like you would your regular teeth.
- Don't worry, you won't hurt it. It's rigid, cemented in place, and built to hold up.
Now for the middle part: the section that does the expanding.
- This area collects gunk quickly if not brushed.
- So, brush all the wires and the screw mechanism in the center to keep it clean.
- But the trickiest part? Underneath the expander.
Food often gets stuck under there.
- The easiest solution is to swish with water after meals and spit it out.
- For extra help, try a water flosser. It works like a mini power washer to flush out anything hiding below the appliance.
How Do I Keep My Teeth Clean While Wearing Invisalign?
Invisalign, like braces, involves attachments on your teeth.
But your brushing technique matters:
- Angle your toothbrush down toward your gums to clean above the attachments.
- Then angle it up from the gumline to clean under and around each attachment.
- Don't forget your biting surfaces and the inside of each tooth.
And don't forget to clean your Invisalign trays too:
- Brush the inside and outside of your aligners.
- Use cold water and, if needed, a little dish soap.
- Never use toothpaste.
- For heavy buildup, use a retainer or denture cleaner. Soak the trays for 20–30 minutes, then brush again to remove anything left behind.
I Have Braces. How Many Times a Day Should I Brush My Teeth?
We need to brush our teeth three times a day with braces. Focus brushing around meal times: after breakfast, after lunch, and after dinner or before bed.
It should take you about three minutes to brush your teeth with braces. Our team asks patients to spend an extra 30 seconds per jaw, so about a minute and a half on the top and bottom each.
This is what Dr. Mike calls the Rule of 3:
- Brush 3 times a day
- Brush for 3 minutes total
- Focus on all three areas: top, bottom, and around brackets
What Foods Should I Avoid With Braces?
The big thing with foods is texture, whether you're in braces, have an expander, or even wear Invisalign.
Foods that are hard, crunchy, chewy, or sticky can cause problems. Brackets can come loose, expanders can fall out, or attachments can pop off or shift out of place.
Anytime something in your mouth comes off when it's not supposed to, it can delay treatment, cause unwanted tooth movement, and make the process longer and less comfortable.