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Braces are a great way to straighten your child’s teeth, but they also come with several challenges, from dietary changes to increased difficulties maintaining. One of the most important habits to instill in your child is flossing, but doing so can be hard after getting orthodontics in Smyrna, TN.
However, while tricky at first, your child can master oral hygiene with a little patience and practice. To help you achieve that and maintain a healthy smile, here is a step-by-step guide on how to help your kid floss with braces.
Why Flossing with Braces is Essential
Flossing is essential for cleaning the areas between the teeth that a toothbrush can’t reach, especially when braces are involved.
While orthodontic treatment will give your kid a straighter smile, which is fundamental to preventing tooth decay and other issues in the future, braces make it harder for food particles and plaque to be removed from between the teeth. This buildup around the brackets and wires can lead to tooth decay, gum disease, and other oral health issues during the treatment.
Besides damaging teeth, plaque accumulation may stop orthodontic treatment altogether, as we may be forced to remove a kid’s braces if we consider their oral health is suffering due to it. To prevent unwanted extra costs and avoid cavities, teaching your child to floss effectively while they wear braces is key.
1. Gather the Right Tools
An important aspect of flossing effectively with braces is having the right tools for the job. Traditional flossing methods are not ideal for kids with braces because the wires connecting each bracket make it impossible to pass a thread between each tooth.
Instead, consider these options:
- Floss Threaders: A floss threader is a tool that acts like a needle and helps thread the floss under the wire of the braces, allowing your child to clean between their teeth and around the braces effectively. These are often sold in orthodontic care kits.
- Orthodontic Floss: Specialized orthodontic floss is designed to slide easily under the braces’ wires. It often has a thicker end that can be threaded through the braces and a thinner middle that is used to clean between the teeth.
- Floss Picks: While not ideal for cleaning around the brackets, floss picks with a small section of floss may be a helpful tool for getting the floss between teeth when your child is starting to learn.
- Water Flossers: For a more modern solution, a water flosser can be a great tool for cleaning teeth. It uses a pulsating stream of water to remove food and plaque.
2. Explain the Importance of Flossing
Oral hygiene is not magic—it comes from commitment and an understanding of the importance of taking care of your smile. Because your child’s compliance is fundamental, take the time to sit down with your child and explain why flossing is important.
Help them comprehend how food and plaque can become lodged around their braces and how flossing can help avoid gum disease and cavities by using straightforward language. If your child is old enough, showing them visuals of plaque buildup may help reinforce the message.
By knowing the benefits of flossing, your child will be more motivated to make it an immovable part of their daily routine.
3. Show the Technique Step-by-Step
Children learn by example. The best way to teach them an adequate flossing technique with braces is by demonstrating the process yourself so that they can visually see how it’s done.
When flossing, it’s important to take the following steps:
- Start with Clean Hands: Before starting, wash your hands thoroughly to ensure everything is hygienic.
- Position the Threader: Show your child how to position the threader under the wire of their braces and slide the floss under the archwire very gently between two teeth.
- Start Flossing: The key here is to be careful to prevent damaging the orthodontic structure, so do everything slowly. Moreover, try to curve it around each tooth in a C-shape to remove any buildup in the gum area.
- Move to the Next Section: After cleaning between one pair of teeth, slide the floss back out and reposition it for the next section. Repeat the process for the rest of the teeth.
- Use the Other Side of the Floss: Once one side is finished, gently move to the other side of the tooth and repeat the process, ensuring that both sides of each tooth are thoroughly flossed.
4. Teach Proper Technique and Caution
Oftentimes, flossing effectively depends on explaining to your child the importance of not overseeing certain steps. For example, they should never skip the back teeth. They may be easy to miss, but these need just as much attention—if not more—as the front teeth.
Additionally, it is key to instruct them on gentle flossing. They should never snap the floss between their teeth, as this can damage their braces or cause injury to their gums.
If your child’s gums are bleeding or seem irritated, this could be a sign that they are flossing too aggressively or missing certain areas. Encourage them to be gentle but persistent and to let you know if they notice this development.
5. Schedule Regular Checkups
Make sure to keep up with regular appointments with your child’s orthodontist to monitor their progress and ensure there’s no dangerous plaque buildup in their mouths.
We can spot any areas that need extra attention, offer advice on how to improve their flossing technique, or suggest a dental cleaning to ensure that their oral health stays on track throughout their orthodontic treatment.
Ensure the Success of Your Orthodontics in Smyrna, TN
Teaching your child how to floss with braces can be challenging, but once they are ready to enjoy their straight, healthy smile for several years to come, it’ll be completely rewarding. Moreover, with patience, consistency, and the right tools, you can put them on the right track for a lifetime of effective oral hygiene.
If you have trouble teaching your child how to floss, the Happy Harpeth & Associates team can help. Contact us, and let’s work together to protect your child’s teeth and gums throughout their orthodontic journey.