How to clean teeth with braces and Aligners?

When you go to the grocery store or supermarket in the toothpaste and toothbrush section, you may be overwhelmed by the different choices of toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash, dental floss, tongue cleaners, fresh mint sprays, aligners, retainers, denture cleaning tablets on display shelves. There are anti-sensitivity toothpaste, whitening toothpaste, Fluoridated toothpaste,smokers toothpaste, tartar control toothpaste, children's toothpaste, alcohol and alcohol-free mouthwashes, manual and electric toothbrushes.

After reading this article till the end it will be easy to choose which toothbrush, toothpaste, and other oral hygiene maintenance products are best for you and your family members to avoid wasting your money. We advise you to consult your orthodontist or dentist before selecting any product. Your orthodontist or dentist is the right person to guide better which product is best for you according to your braces and dental needs. It is easy to clean your teeth with Aligners than with metal, gold, ceramic or lingual braces, as they are removable braces, which is not the case in fixed braces. Do you want to book an appoinment for Aligners, selection of tooth brush or any informations regading orthodontic treament with our orthodontists? if YES! dont need to wait more,take the next step

Book an Appointment

Aligners’ team is here to help, and support you and is happy to answer more questions you may have about brushing your crooked teeth as you work towards a healthier smile, whatever your preference of toothbrush and other oral hygiene products may be! Book an appointment so we can get started on the smile of your dreams. Happy brushing!

Now coming to the toothbrushes first!

How to clean teeth with braces?

Can you get your teeth clean with braces? How to brush your teeth with braces? Brush two times a day before going to bed and after breakfast can keep you away from dental caries, gum disease, and even your dentist‘s standard oral care recommendation. In the case of fixed clear braces, metal braces, lingual braces, or gold braces,  you need to take really good care of the braces and your teeth because fixed clear braces trap food particles easily and lead to dental caries and gum disease if left uncleaned and it's a little bit challenging for a braces patients. That’s why your orthodontist advised you to brush your teeth and braces after every meal as well as after reaching home from school, college, or job. The elastic ligatures used to hold the wires attached to the brackets are especially prone to food staining. Usually, clear or white ligatures are used with fixed clear braces for a more discrete look, but these elastics are highly prone to color catch. There is also the option of getting self-ligating ceramic braces, discuss with your orthodontist before getting the treatment. 

Which brush is best for braces? 

There are two types of toothbrushes to clean teeth with braces

1. Manual toothbrush

2. Electric toothbrush

A manual toothbrush will work fine with braces, but it can lead to poor brushing in some people because they don’t know the specially designed brushes for fixed braces, brushing techniques, and timings. Can an electric toothbrush replace a manual toothbrush? According to studies, people tend to brush for shorter periods when using a manual brush. According to the American journal of orthodontics, an electric toothbrush promotes better oral hygiene for patients with or without dental braces. Many people are surprised to learn they are not correctly brushing their teeth. Because they take most of the guesswork out of it and we blame TV commercials here— the timers, sensors, and modes of electric toothbrushes make the most of each brushing session. How to use an electric toothbrush?

Electric brush Brush Head Range

In the normal tooth brushing method, place bristles of toothbrush half on gums and half on teeth at 45 degrees and move downwards for upper teeth and upwards for lower teeth. Proper oral hygiene can sometimes be a challenge for orthodontic patients as food can easily be trapped around the brackets and under the wires. You can find manual ortho brushes and electric toothbrushes in the market designed especially to clean and fix braces over the counter. Brushing your teeth in a fixed braces journey with an electric toothbrush and manual toothbrush is not similar to brushing without fixed braces. You want to look for an electric toothbrush with a small head and soft bristles when brushing your teeth with braces. Gently apply pressure and allow the toothbrush to do the work for which it was intended. Take care around bands, brackets, and wires to ensure healthier gums, and remember to brush below and above the armature of the braces. Place brush bristles on brackets, long outer bristles of ortho brush gently massage the gums, remove plaque and food debris from the gum line and clean the tooth surfaces above and down to the brackets while Short inner bristles help clean in between brackets and teeth efficiently to effectively remove bacteria, plaque as well as trapped food particles.

What is an interdental brush?

Also called Ortho toothbrush,Interdental toothbrush,Interdental brush andBest interdental brush.Standard Electric and manual toothbrush bristles clean buccal, lingual and occlusal surfaces of teeth, for added cleaning, an interdental brush can help you reach the backs and in between (interproximal) areas of your teeth. These brushes reach the hard access areas that either an electric or manual toothbrush may miss.

Some electric brush heads are specially designed for cleaning interdental spaces between the natural tooth and implant crowns and have tongue cleaners on the back side of heads.

For Aligners, you can easily brush your teeth by removing them as these are removable braces.

How often should you change your toothbrush?

When should you change a manual toothbrush? Or when should you replace the head of an electric toothbrush? These are the most common questions people search on Google other than which brand of toothbrush is best.

Replace your toothbrush or Electric toothbrush head every 2-3 months or sooner if it shows signs of wear, or if you have a cold or any other illness. If you use your toothbrush or electric toothbrush head for much longer than 2 months, the bristles will start to become frayed and worn, and they won't be as effective at clearing away plaque and food debris, starts abrasion and gums recession. In the case of fixed braces, you often replace them sometimes in less than a month because brackets flare the bristles of a toothbrush easily.

What Kind of Toothbrush bristles are best?

Toothbrush bristles come in three types.

1. Soft

2. Medium

3. Hard

Most dentists recommend soft bristles toothbrushes as they are not harsh on tooth enamel and safest and most comfortable for gums. While hard bristles damage the gums, root surface, and protective layer of the tooth. The one advantage of using a hard bristle toothbrush is that it clears away more plaque and is recommended for chain smokers.

Is it better to use a manual or electric toothbrush with braces?

Most frequently asked questions people ask their dentist after starting their smile journey with fixed braces; what toothbrush is good for braces? What is the best toothbrush for braces? What toothbrush should you use while wearing braces? Can you use an electric toothbrush with braces? Are electric toothbrushes better?

Electric toothbrushes make it easier to manage to brush because they have settings like timers, built-in movements, vibrations, and brushing intensity for better control. They work well on metal, ceramic or lingual braces. Children and adults who use a manual toothbrush often use it for just a few seconds and think that the full two minutes have passed. A timer helps patients brush for the full recommended times.  A two-minute timer that alerts the patient to stop brushing comes built-in with most electric toothbrushes.

Do dentists recommend an electric toothbrush for braces?

For those who have limited dexterity or arthritis, and for those who do not brush long enough or brush incorrectly, electric toothbrushes make it much easier because they remove stains and plaque better than a manual.

How to choose an Electric toothbrush? What are the types of Electric toothbrushes?

What is the best electric toothbrush? When you are buying an electric toothbrush, always look for the ADA seal (American Dental Association). A toothbrush with the ADA seal means it has been researched approved and tested for safety and effectiveness and is guaranteed to perform as promised. For braces patients, it is important to remember to replace manual toothbrushes or electric toothbrush heads while you are undergoing orthodontic braces treatment because the bristles of manual or electric toothbrush heads for braces are different than normal toothbrushes available in the market.

What to consider when buying a toothbrush for braces?

Choose the brand which comes with many features like less price, warranty claim, more number and shapes of heads, built-in timers, cleaning modes, pressure sensor, storage case, rechargeable source and low battery indicator.

Most electric toothbrushes have usually 4 heads, each for each family member. All electric toothbrushes are waterproof. Some brushes are battery operated; others are rechargeable; some come with a USB port and can be recharged by a laptop. Most of the brands offer storage cases for traveling purposes.

Some electric toothbrushes have a model memory function, after each use, it will remember the selected mode for the next use and two minutes smart timer with interval pause reminding every 30 seconds.

Muslims are concerned about bristle material which they can choose from brands offering Halal bristle.

Brush with Bamboo: the world’s most eco-friendly toothbrush

Some People like a bamboo toothbrush. The main difference is its long handle is made from natural bamboo instead of plastic material to minimize the natural hazards of plastic waste disposal. People are considering Eco-friendly options nowadays.

There are two types of movements in the bristles of the electric toothbrush head.

1. Side-to-side or oscillating movements

2. Vibrations/ Linear fashion or sonic movements

What is the difference between oscillating and sonic electric toothbrushes?

When shopping for an electric toothbrush, there are two basic types to consider: oscillating brushes (which rotate or oscillate back-and-forth in a circular motion) and sonic brushes, which vibrate at high frequencies

The high-frequency sonic technology of electric toothbrushes having vibrations between 28000-40000 times/minutes is clinically proven to remove more plaque than side-to-side movement and manual toothbrushes. Due to building in pressure sensors, applying more pressure turns on the red light and its speed automatically gets slow to avoid abrasion and gum recession.

Some brands offer App Smart App to record your teeth brushing habits and tracking via blue tooth connectivity with your mobile which tracks your brush area by detecting technology, time, brushing frequency, and power percentage while tooth brushing. Clean bristles of an electric toothbrush with clean water.

Modes In the electric toothbrush

Most electric toothbrushes come in five working modes

A. Clean - The standard mode for a whole mouth clean.

B. Whitening- Remove surface stains to whiten teeth.

C. Polish - Brightens and polishes teeth to bring out their natural brilliance.

D. Sensitive -An extra gentle mode for sensitive teeth.

E. Soft-Gently stimulates and massages gums.

Electric and manual toothbrushes are available in different colors, black, white, blue, and red, and character like Spiderman, superman, and frozen for motivating children towards tooth brushing. As technology moves forward U shape(mouthpiece) sonic toothbrushes are available in the market for children that clean teeth in 360- degrees. JOYWA Cute Kids Electric Toothbrush U-shaped Sweetheart Unicorn Waterproof Automatic Ultrasonic Rechargeable Toothbrush is easily available. 

An electric toothbrush is an Ideal Option for Kids?

Obviously yes! Kids find U shape battery-powered toothbrushes easier because they are fun to use.

Especially when they come in attractive color and character.

Some models even play music to indicate whether it’s time to switch sides or stop. If your child's compliance is not good with a traditional toothbrush, help them pick out their favorite character electric toothbrush.

Top brands of an electric toothbrush or what is the best electric toothbrush on the market

Oral-B Genius X Electric Toothbrush

Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Toothbrush

Oral-B Pro 1000 Power Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush

Foreo ISSA 2 Toothbrush

Philips Sonicare Flexcare Platinum Connected

Smile Direct Club Electric Toothbrush

Rotadent Contour

Waterpik Sonic-Fusion 2.0 Professional

Shyn Sonic Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush

Gleem Electric Toothbrush

Oral-B iO Series 9 Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush

Philips One by Sonicare

Oral-B iO Series 9 Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush

Philips One by Sonicare

Brush Electric Toothbrush

Firefly Clean N' Protect

Now u shape electric tooth brush also avaible for adults sometimes called mouthpiece.

Most patients ask dentists how long should teeth brush take.  And when and how often should you brush your teeth?

American Dental Association encourages tooth brushing time for two minutes, twice per day. If you spend less than two minutes brushing you won’t remove as much plaque. More than two minutes of brushing causes harm to tooth enamel wearing down (abrasion)

The benefit of the timer in an electric toothbrush is to remind one cannot do more or less than 2min. 30 seconds pause in the timer indicates to move to the next quadrant.

The cons of Electric Toothbrushes

As advantages of battery-powered toothbrushes may seem, you should also consider their disadvantages as well:

 Cost- Battery-powered toothbrushes are more expensive than manual toothbrushes because of the replacement of heads.

 Sound- Some electric toothbrushes can be annoying to the user just like the sound of a dental handpiece.

Trips-Rechargeable electric toothbrushes are No recommended in traveling because of the non-availability of a charging source.

Higher Risk of Damage- As most electric toothbrush models require charging, you have to be careful not to overcharge them and cause damage to the battery. Similarly, your money will go wasted if you drop your electric toothbrush on the floor.

How do you good take care of your braces?

Here are some tips for caring for your fixed braces:

Brush your teeth twice a day and after every meal

How to properly brush your teeth with braces? What happens if you don’t brush your teeth with braces?  Normally you brush your teeth two or three times a day, with fixed clear braces you should brush your teeth after every meal to prevent food lodgment that would lead to teeth cavities, gum diseases, and bad breath( halitosis) whether it is done with a manual toothbrush or an electric toothbrush. This good habit will ensure that all food color, plaque, and bacteria are immediately washed out of your mouth, leaving your teeth and braces fresh and clean. You will have less risk of dental caries and other oral cavity issues during your orthodontic treatment period.

Don’t forget to rinse with mouthwash and dental floss

You want to do everything possible to keep your teeth and fix clear braces looking good so make sure to floss and use antimicrobial and fluoride mouthwash in the morning and at night to reach all hidden areas that are hard to get with the toothbrush to remove bacteria and any food that has accumulated. You can take advantage of tools like floss threads. Most orthodontists recommend getting a water pick to make it easier to get all the food particles and plaque that can build up during the day.

Quit smoking and shesha

Smoking and shesha are bad for your health for lots of reasons and on top of that, it also tends to stain your fixed clear braces, the elastic ligatures, and your teeth giving everything an unhealthy yellow look. And these stains tend to get deep and are hard to remove.

Learn what colored, hard and sticky foods to avoid

Red and yellow-colored foods like tomato purees, catty chins, Cheetos, spicy salsas, chocolates, Fanta toffees, ice lollies, etc are big stain culprits so you should avoid eating them during your orthodontic treatment. Mustard, soda, coffee, and wine are also to be abstained from as well.

Don’t Miss out on your scheduled Orthodontic Appointments

Remember the best way to keep track of your dental health and teeth appearance during your fixed braces treatment is not to miss any of your orthodontic appointments. This way you will get the adjustments you need and any replacements that will maintain a beautiful smile through your treatment.

Here are also some more tips for taking care of your braces:

• Soothing the Pain in your smile journey. A common complaint from fixed braces patients is that they experience some soreness and discomfort from the tightness of the wires or the chafing of loose wires inside their mouth. Ask your orthodontist about special wax that can help protect the inside of your mouth. You can also try a pain reliever like Orogel. If the pain gets severe, call your Orthodontist right away.
• Accompany travel kit. If you are on the go all the time, it can be difficult to have time to brush and floss and take care of your mouth properly. Just make yourself a little kit complete with a toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, and wax that you can carry with you all the time.
• How to tackle any foreseen breakage of braces? It is expected that at some point the wear and tear of daily living are going to damage your braces. If one of your wires or bracket breaks avoids bending the wire or trying to pull it out. That will cause more damage. Just make sure to do a video call to your dentist or take a photo of that area and send it to your orthodontist. He will decide if there is a need to rush in for an emergency appointment or can be settled at home by just covering any sharp edges with wax. Make an appointment to see your orthodontist as soon as possible according to the situation.