Best Orthodontic Toothbrushes to Use with Braces

Oral care is especially important for patients with braces or mouth hardware. The brackets used for braces are cemented to the teeth and can damage teeth if not properly cleaned and maintained. Braces patients must take special care not to bend or damage the braces wires. Orthodontic patients require a special "braces accessible" toothbrush and tooth care kit. This article will help you choose the best toothbrush and dental care kit for use with braces.

Your orthodontist should give you an oral care package and demonstrate how to use it. If your dentist does not give you a braces toothbrush kit, or if you would like to make a spare kit for travel, here's how to make one. This dental kit should include:

- A "braces accessible" toothbrush. A specialty braces toothbrush has V-shaped bristles configured in such a way as to make it easier to clean underneath and around braces wires, brackets and rubber bands. Some braces toothbrushes are bent at the neck to make it easier to clean around braces. Braces toothbrushes with opposing pincer bristles that wrap around the braces wire to clean underneath are helpful for children with braces. Brushing teeth with braces is difficult for younger children; folding-bristle toothbrushes may be easier to handle. For older children and adults, look for braces toothbrushes that have round head bristles at the opposite end or on the backside of the rectangular cleaning head.

-A round head toothbrush. If your toothbrush does not have a double head (with round head at the opposite end), you will need a separate round head toothbrush. This brush has bristles that are configured in a circle that is about one centimeter in diameter. This may be an electric or manual toothbrush. The round head toothbrush is often easier to maneuver around braces than most rectangular head toothbrushes. Round head toothbrush bristles usually don't get caught in braces wires like rectangular head toothbrushes. Some braces toothbrushes have a rectangular head on one end and a round head on the other.

-A narrow spiral bristle brush. This brush looks like a very small bottle-cleaning brush or pipe cleaner. This spiral brush works well for cleaning under braces wires and directly around braces brackets. Because it is so small, the spiral brush works very well for cleaning hard-to-reach places. Some specialty braces toothbrushes come with a spiral brush attached.

-An oral mirror. This mirror looks just like the mirror that your dentist uses to examine the back and inside of your teeth. Use this mirror to check for food and debris stuck to braces.

-Waxed dental floss and dental floss threader. Flossing teeth with braces can be a challenge. Many oral care brands make special braces floss with a threader that helps you floss around and under braces.

-Dental floss picks. With some types of braces, you may be able to floss using disposable dental floss picks. Some toothbrushes have a rubber dental pick on the opposite end. This works well for cleaning braces.

-Pre-brush whitening mouth rinse. Although there isn't any need to buy special braces toothpaste, pre-brush whitening rinse loosens food and debris and makes teeth easier to clean. Pre-brush mouth rinse works very well for people with braces.

Here is a video that demonstrates oral care with braces. As with any dental care, it is best to consult your orthodontist for proper braces and teeth maintenance.