Braces in adulthood are no longer unusual. More and more adults are visiting orthodontic practices, and modern options are often so discreet that the people around you may not even notice them.
What nobody talks about, however, is where you are supposed to brush your teeth after lunch with colleagues or how long it will take. In this article, you will learn when and where you can realistically manage your oral hygiene.
Why Braces Make Oral Hygiene Different
Brackets, wires and elastics create many new hard-to-reach areas in your mouth. Saliva and your tongue cannot reach them effectively, so the natural self-cleaning process becomes less efficient. Plaque accumulates precisely in the places that are difficult to reach with a toothbrush.
When oral hygiene is neglected, chalky white spots can appear around the brackets. They develop when acids produced by plaque draw minerals out of the enamel. According to a review of scientific studies, they occur in approximately half of people with fixed braces. Once the braces are removed, these spots do not disappear on their own.
The problem is not the braces themselves, but the plaque surrounding them. And that is something you can manage.
Morning at Home: The Essential Step You Cannot Skip
Morning and evening brushing form the foundation of your entire routine. Take your time with both.
Do not rely solely on a two-minute timer. Two minutes is the minimum for teeth without braces. With braces, you need to clean the surfaces above and below the brackets, between the teeth and along the gumline. It may easily take ten minutes. A useful test is to run your tongue over your teeth. If they feel smooth, they are clean.
Do not press too hard. Many people apply more pressure when trying to reach underneath the wire, but this is not good for the gums and quickly damages the toothbrush bristles. Bristles wear out faster with braces anyway, so expect to replace the brush head approximately once a month.
If your gums bleed, continue cleaning them. Bleeding is usually a reaction to inflammation caused by plaque, not proof that you are hurting yourself. Many people avoid the affected area, which only allows the inflammation to become worse.
There is no need to avoid a sonic toothbrush when you have braces. The idea that the vibrations will loosen the brackets is a myth. Brackets are more likely to come loose after biting into hard food than because of toothbrush vibrations. If your gums feel sore after an adjustment, you may appreciate a toothbrush with a sensitive mode and pressure control, such as the Truelife SonicBrush Clean70 UV. Its coloured indicator is visible in the mirror, so you immediately know when you are applying too much pressure.
After Lunch: Two Minutes Can Be Enough
Ideally, you should brush your teeth after every meal. In reality, you may be eating lunch in the office canteen with a meeting scheduled immediately afterwards.
A practical compromise is to complete a thorough cleaning routine in the morning and evening and quickly clean your teeth during the day. Even one minute with a toothbrush followed by a thorough rinse with water is better than nothing. Food particles can otherwise remain trapped around the brackets for hours.
To make this realistic, you need to carry the necessary equipment with you. A toothbrush that fits into your backpack or handbag will make a greater difference than even the best intentions. The Truelife SonicBrush Compact weighs 100 grams, comes with a travel case and lasts for up to 30 days on a single charge, so there is no need to carry the charger.
What should you do when something gets stuck behind the wire during lunch at a restaurant? Do not try to remove it with your fingernail or a toothpick. Drink some water, rinse your mouth and deal with it properly later.
Evening: Cleaning the Areas Your Toothbrush Cannot Reach
This is where the real difference is made. Your evening routine is the most important because saliva production decreases at night, giving plaque more opportunity to cause damage.
A toothbrush alone is not enough. The spaces between your teeth and the areas surrounding the brackets need to be cleaned with an interdental brush and orthodontic floss with a threader, which allows you to guide the floss underneath the wire. These products are available from most pharmacies and are unfortunately an essential part of the routine. One detail that is often overlooked is that the spaces between your teeth change as they move during treatment. The size of interdental brush that worked at the beginning may no longer be suitable six months later.
You can significantly reduce the time spent threading floss underneath the wires by using a water flosser. The Truelife AquaFloss Compact L100 includes an orthodontic nozzle designed specifically for brackets and wires, as well as a POINT mode that uses a targeted stream of water to remove food particles from between the teeth. However, remember one important thing: a water flosser does not replace an interdental brush. It can rinse away loose particles, but plaque attached to the tooth surface still needs to be removed mechanically.
Do You Have Aligners? Your Routine Is Completely Different
Cleaning your teeth with removable aligners is easy. You simply take them out and brush your teeth as usual. However, you gain a second responsibility: cleaning the aligners themselves.
Always brush your teeth before putting your aligners back in. Otherwise, you trap plaque and sugar underneath the plastic for several hours, where saliva cannot reach them. This is one of the quickest ways to develop tooth decay.
Clean your aligners separately and gently. Use lukewarm water and a soft toothbrush that you do not use on your teeth. Never use hot water, as it can permanently deform the plastic. You should also never use regular toothpaste. Its abrasive particles can scratch the aligners, allowing bacteria and pigments to settle in the grooves. Cleaning tablets can be used for more thorough regular cleaning.
While wearing your aligners, drink only plain water. Coffee, tea and wine can stain them, while sugar from other drinks can remain trapped underneath them. You can still have coffee, but remove the aligners first and brush your teeth before putting them back in.
Remember that aligners only work when you wear them for 20 to 22 hours a day. Constantly removing them for every sip of coffee is therefore not a practical long-term solution.
What to Eat and What to Avoid
Fixed braces do not mean you have to stop eating normal food. You simply need to change how you eat it. Do not bite directly into a whole apple, carrot or hard crust. Cut them into smaller pieces instead. Avoid toffees, chewing gum, nuts and ice, as these can loosen a bracket or stick to the appliance so firmly that they are extremely difficult to remove.
There are no dietary restrictions with removable aligners. Take them out and eat whatever you like.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I brush my teeth with braces?
With fixed braces, it is ideal to brush your teeth after every meal. At the very least, clean them thoroughly in the morning and evening and complete a quick clean during the day. Evening brushing is the most important because saliva production decreases at night, making it easier for plaque to accumulate.
Can I use a sonic toothbrush with braces?
Yes, a sonic toothbrush is safe to use with braces and will not loosen the brackets. The movement of liquid around the bristles can also help clean areas that are difficult to reach with a manual toothbrush. Bear in mind that toothbrush heads will wear out more quickly when used with braces.
Can a water flosser replace an interdental brush?
No. A water flosser cannot replace an interdental brush, but it can make your routine significantly easier. It quickly rinses food particles away from the brackets and wires, but plaque attached to the tooth surface still needs to be removed mechanically.
How should I clean my aligners to prevent odours and yellowing?
Clean your aligners with a soft toothbrush under lukewarm running water. Do not use toothpaste or hot water. Toothpaste can scratch the plastic and allow bacteria to settle in the grooves, while hot water can deform the aligners. Cleaning tablets can be used for regular, more thorough cleaning.
What foods should I avoid with fixed braces?
Avoid hard and sticky foods such as nuts, ice, toffees, chewing gum and hard crusts. Cut apples and carrots into smaller pieces instead of biting into them with your front teeth, where the brackets are most vulnerable.
Six Months, One Year or Two Years
Braces are not something you wear for just a few weeks. Treatment with aligners commonly lasts around a year, while fixed braces may be needed for two years or even longer. That is a long time to spend feeling frustrated by your oral hygiene routine every evening.
It therefore makes sense to build a routine that works for you. It does not have to be the most perfect routine possible. It needs to be one you will actually follow. A straight smile at the end of your treatment is worth it, but the teeth underneath should be healthy too.
