Brushing your teeth without braces is hard enough. Trying to keep things clean with braces glued to every tooth is even more challenging. The purpose of this post is to share a few secrets that will help you keep your teeth and gums healthy during your orthodontic treatment without breaking the bank.

Dental Plaque Is Responsible for Decay and Gum Disease
At the root of most dental problems is plaque. Dental plaque is comprised of sugars and proteins found in the food you eat, along with menacing bacteria that love the "leftovers" you leave behind. Dental plaque is harmful because when the bacteria eat the sugars and proteins you leave on your teeth and gums, they produce acidic wastes that dissolve enamel and inflame the gums. Without plaque, there would be no tooth decay or gum disease!

Lots of Gadgets Available to Help You Keep Teeth Clean
A visit to the dental aisle of your local drug store reveals dozens of oral hygiene products designed to make taking care of your teeth easier. Electric toothbrushes, floss threaders, interdental brushes, water flossers, supplemental fluorides, special kinds of toothpaste, and dental picks can all help you keep your teeth clean while the braces are on. Sadly, they all cost more than the old-fashioned toothbrushes you used before your braces went on.

All You Need is a Toothbrush and Water
Luckily, a few little changes in your brushing technique may be all you need to keep your teeth and gums healthy during treatment. This is the same technique our orthodontic team uses to remove the dental plaque from your braces before we make adjustments. All you'll need to get started is a regular soft toothbrush, water, and a mirror.

Don't Use Toothpaste Until After the Plaque is Gone
Toothpaste is an essential part of routine dental hygiene. It contains abrasives, whiteners, breath fresheners, and fluoride. The problem is toothpaste foams up, making it hard to see if you've removed the food and plaque from your braces. Although you should end each brushing session with toothpaste to enjoy the perks listed above, begin your brushing session with only water on your toothbrush so you can see what you are doing.

Use Your Toothbrush Like 2000 Toothpicks
Although the Bass technique of brushing is believed to be the most efficient way to brush teeth without braces (angling the bristles towards the gum and making short back-and-forth strokes), the presence of braces glued on the teeth makes this technique ineffective. Instead, think of your toothbrush as a handle holding over 2000 little toothpicks that can reach over, under, and around your wires and brackets if used with a picking motion. Standing close to the mirror so you can see, use the brush in an in-and-out jabbing motion rather than side-to-side scrubbing movements. Poke the bristles above, below, and under your wires, and watch as food and plaque are dislodged from their hiding places.

You May See Some Blood at First
Pay extra attention to the space between the wire and your gums. That is the most common area for plaque to accumulate and damage the teeth (white spots and decay). Don't be surprised if you get some bleeding the first few times you get the bristles up under your gums, especially if they are already swollen. If you focus your brushing on the areas where you see blood, they will get healthier, and the bleeding will stop within a week or so. Remember always to use a soft toothbrush and not push too hard, which could cause recession or damage to your gums.

Clean Your Mirror and Buy Extra Toothbrushes
In closing, there are two things you should expect when you brush like this during treatment. First, you'll probably need to clean your mirror after every brushing session due to the splatter. And second, you're going to need to replace your toothbrushes more often because brushing around braces wears them out more quickly. Those two compromises are well worth it when you see how much better your teeth and gums look after the plaque is gone!

NOTE: The author, Dr. Greg Jorgensen, is a board-certified orthodontist in the private practice of orthodontics in Rio Rancho and Albuquerque, New Mexico. He received his training at BYU, Washington University in St. Louis, and the University of Iowa. Dr. Jorgensen's 30+ years of specialty practice and 10,000+ finished cases qualify him as an expert in two-phase treatment, extraction and non-extraction therapy, functional orthodontics, clear aligners (Invisalign), and multiple bracket systems (including conventional braces, Damon and other self-ligating brackets, Suresmile, and lingual braces). This blog is for informational purposes only and is designed to help consumers understand currently accepted orthodontic concepts. It is not a venue for debating alternative treatment theories. Dr. Jorgensen is licensed to diagnose and treat patients only in New Mexico. He cannot diagnose cases described in comments nor select treatment plans for readers. Copyright laws protect the opinions expressed here and can only be used with the author's permission.