Braces are one of those miraculous tools: you get them installed on your teeth, you slowly forget that they’re even there, and finally at the end of it all, you’re left with beautiful, straight teeth. But maintaining good oral hygiene can be a challenge while wearing braces. And when it comes to flossing, it can seem like just too much of a hassle to bother with. But it’s more crucial than ever to take good care of your teeth and gums during those years with braces to avoid any serious build up of plaque and avoid any stubborn stains once they are removed.
So if you’ve been tossing the floss to the side, here is your 101 for flossing with braces.
Use Floss Threader
If you’re trying to use the floss on its own to manoeuvre in between those braces, it’s not going to work. You have to use the proper tools to assist you and make it easy. Floss threaders can be found just about anywhere that sells oral care products. You simply loop the floss into the threader and it allows you to easily pull the floss through each section. It’s simple, fast and will help you make flossing a breeze.
Use Waxed Floss
Regular, traditional floss can be cumbersome since it doesn’t have a coating. Without a heavier wax coating, that floss can easily become snagged within your braces and leave behind shreds of floss. This of course, doesn’t help your attempt or make it any easier. So instead, opt for using waxed floss with your floss threader. Together, this combination will help you to easily glide the floss in between braces without having it get caught along them.
Parental Assistance
Depending on the age of the child with braces, sometimes manoeuvring the floss and thread through each tooth can require a level of dexterity that may not be present just yet. If you notice your child is struggling with flossing, or has given up on it altogether, try to assist them with it. This can be especially helpful for the first little while when they’re still getting used to the braces. And over time they can watch and learn as you help them with the threading technique.
Maintaining good oral care is important, especially when there’s braces involved. But carrying out that can sometimes be a lot easier said than done. It can be easy to neglect those gums and give up on the floss. But by using threaders and waxed floss, it can make oral hygiene a breeze. And if your child seems to be struggling with it, assisting them with it can help them learn the proper technique and ensure that those gums aren’t being neglected.
