While your braces are hard at work straightening your teeth, it’s your job to keep your mouth healthy and clean. At Ragan Orthodontics, with locations in Walnut Hill and Inwood, we fully believe that proper oral care is the secret to successful treatment. With the right hygiene tips for braces, you can avoid common pitfalls and get the best results from your orthodontic treatment.
Why Oral Hygiene Counts During Braces Treatment
Braces create small spaces around your teeth and brackets that can trap food and plaque. Without the right kind of care, this buildup can lead to consequences like tooth decay, gum disease, or even white spots that remain after your braces come off.
Maintaining strong hygiene habits helps keep your gums healthy, your enamel strong, and your treatment on track.
Oral Hygiene With Braces: A Closer Look
Once you start wearing braces, your oral hygiene routine will require an upgrade. It’s not just about brushing anymore—it’s about brushing thoroughly, flossing strategically, and using the right tools.
Here’s how to keep your smile healthy while wearing braces:
- Brush with purpose: Spend extra time cleaning around each bracket and under the wires.
- Hold your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to clean above and below the brackets.
- Don’t forget the chewing surfaces and along the gumline.
- An electric toothbrush can help remove more plaque than a manual one.
- Floss daily—even if it’s tricky: Flossing is huge for preventing gum disease and decay between teeth.
- Use floss threaders or orthodontic flossers to reach beneath the wires.
- Water flossers can flush out debris and offer a convenient alternative.
- Add interdental brushes to your routine: These tiny brushes slip between brackets and wires to clean spots your toothbrush can’t reach.
- Use an antibacterial mouthwash: Rinse daily to kill lingering bacteria and strengthen enamel.
- Check your hardware: After cleaning, look for any damaged wires or loose brackets and report them to Dr. Ragan so we can arrange a repair.
DentalMonitoring uses AI-powered scans taken from your smartphone to track your orthodontic progress between visits. It helps us make sure your braces are working correctly, alerts Dr. Ragan to issues early, and helps you keep your hygiene on track. With these regular check-ins, you’ll stay connected to our practice and catch concerns before they lead to delays or complications.
Oral hygiene with braces takes a little more time and effort, but it’s well worth it. Staying consistent helps prevent plaque buildup, gum irritation, and staining—so when the braces come off, your smile is as healthy as it is straight.
For Dallas Parents: Helping Your Child Maintain Their Braces
If your child is struggling with keeping their braces clean, you’re not alone. Many young patients need guidance as they adjust to the new routines that come with orthodontic treatment. Ragan Orthodontics partners with parents to help kids exceed expectations.
Here are some ways you can support your child:
- Establish a consistent routine
- Encourage brushing after every meal and flossing before bed.
- Make it fun with a two-minute timer or their favorite song.
- Supervise brushing and flossing for younger children until they’re confident.
- Stock up on the right tools
- Provide a soft-bristled toothbrush, orthodontic flossers, a mirror, and a water flosser.
- Consider an electric toothbrush to make cleaning easier and more engaging.
- Teach them the “why” behind hygiene
- Considering showing visual examples of healthy vs. decalcified teeth to kids who are continuously resistant to proper hygiene.
- Explain how good hygiene can speed up treatment and lead to a better smile.
- Use positive reinforcement
- Create a chart or use an app to track daily brushing and flossing.
- Celebrate milestones with small rewards or words of encouragement.
- Stay in touch with our team
- Let Dr. Ragan know if your child is having trouble with discomfort, broken brackets, or cleaning hard-to-reach areas.
- We’re here to offer extra tips and support whenever needed.
With teamwork, patience, and the right tools, your child can develop lifelong healthy habits and enjoy a smoother orthodontic experience along the way.
Choosing the Right Option
Ragan Orthodontics knows braces will never be one-size-fits-all. People will have different timelines, budgets, and preferences. When it comes to metal braces, we have a few choices for you:
- Traditional metal braces use stainless steel brackets and elastic ties to hold the archwire in place. They’re reliable, effective, and commonly used for a wide range of orthodontic issues.
- The Carriere Motion Appliance is an orthodontic device we use at the start of treatment to correct bite alignment before braces or clear aligners are placed. It gently moves the upper teeth and jaw into a better position, helping reduce overall treatment time and improving results.
Simply the Best
There’s many reasons our practice is the top choice for Dallas residents, and we want you to experience them for yourself! We’d love to welcome you to Ragan Orthodontics in Walnut Hill or Inwood for a free consultation to get started.