Flossing With Braces. Do It.

Flossing while you have braces is extremely vital in the hygiene process. When you first start doing this small task, it might seem very labor intensive. However, once you figure out the proper technique, it isn’t much more difficult than without braces.
It is best to use waxed floss if possible. There are a lot of metal pieces and places which can catch on your floss. When you’re flossing with braces, you need to keep in mind that there are more things than just teeth for the floss to catch on. Because of this, you’ll want to use a thin, wax-coated floss whenever you can. Unwaxed, thread-like floss is much more likely to get stuck to your braces.

You should probably use a piece of dental floss between 12-18 inches long, depending on the size of your mouth and the size of your hands.

Take the floss and carefully thread it behind the brace wires. When it’s around the wire, pull it through so there’s enough slack on either end to grab it. A mirror can be a big help here. Try to be gentle and not pull on the brace wire with the floss.

Push the floss between your teeth. Grab one end of the floss in each hand. Gently pull the floss so that it goes into the space between your teeth. You will want to move the floss into the “crease” between the teeth, then push it down into the gap. It is normal to have some teeth which have a tight fit.

Slide the floss up and down.  Pull gently so that the floss rubs against the insides of both teeth. Even if you feel like you are not doing anything keep going, because flossing gets rid of tiny bacteria.

Repeat for each tooth until finished.

You should floss your teeth at least once per day for effective home care.