Some of us are born with a perfect smile. Whereas some of us need a little help to get that perfect smile. That is what orthodontic treatment or braces are for. Although most children opt for braces when they are in their school going years some of them opt for braces even after they leave school. If you’ve ever worn braces or seen someone wearing it you would probably understand what it is to wear braces and what a task it is to keep them clean. You also have a restricted diet.
Why do we choose different toothbrush for braces?
The shapes of brushes that are designed to clean teeth with braces are different from regular toothbrushes. It has a V-shape so that it fits properly over the braces. The bristles that are placed outside are longer than the ones that are placed in the middle fit around the metal block. The bristles are also softer than regular toothbrushes.
How to take care of braces?
Though it is important to choose the right kind of brush for brushing it is also important to keep in mind some other points while wearing braces. Food particles have a tendency to get stuck in between wires of braces. It is important to maintain them to prevent such situations. The points that are to be kept in mind while having braces are:
Brushing and flossing
It is important not only to brush but also floss when you have braces. Your daily brushing will be complemented by flossing and will ensure a complete oral care. It is also advisable that instead of using a normal toothbrush you should use a toothbrush that is specially formulated for this purpose. Flossing effectively removes the food particles that are stuck in between teeth. You can also switch to water flosser according to your requirement where the water reaches place that cannot be reached by normal flosser.
It is also important to wear a good mouth guard while playing any contact sport if you have braces. If the wires break and poke in wrong directions, it can be very painful.
It is also advisable to brush after every meal if you have braces to prevent calculus build up around the braces.
What to eat when you have braces?
The primary rule of eating while you are having braces is to avoid food items that stick to your braces or can break your braces. Try not eating hard foods like tough bread, pizza crusts, nuts or raw vegetables. Try and avoid tough, chewy meet as well. Avoid chewy and sugary candies as well as chewing gums. If you are habit of chewing things like pen, pencil or fingernails try and avoid chewing them. High sugar content drinks like fizzy drinks can also cause increased plaque accumulation around braces.
Soft fruits and boiled vegetables are the best things to consume while you have braces. Dairy products like cheese and butter, soft meat, soft grains like pasta and rice and soft bread can also be consumed.
Points to remember while choosing a toothbrush for braces:
Although it is important to take care of your teeth in all circumstances, it is all the more important to take care of your oral health if you have braces. There are some points you should consider if you are choosing a brush for your braces:
- You can choose electric toothbrushes over regular toothbrushes.
- Electric toothbrushes have several moods. Different models have different modes. There are brushes that have regular cleaning mode, gentle, whitening and even massage mode. Gentle mode is best for young users with braces.
- These electric toothbrushes need charging for about 24 hours before they are completely charged. But you can use without charging them completely.
- The bristle strength ranges from soft to medium. This is because firm bristles are too rough for braces.
- Most of these toothbrushes have a run time of about two minutes. Some even alert you after every thirty seconds to change direction.
- The manual toothbrushes are very light. However, some of the electric ones can get a little heavy.
Best toothbrushes for braces
1. Oral-B 7000 Smart Series Rechargeable Power Electric Toothbrush
Oral-B 7000 smart series toothbrush is an electric toothbrush that has three replacements brush heads, blue-tooth connectivity and travel case. It has wonderful oscillating power that reaches all corners of the mouth and effectively removes plaque and calculus. The three brush heads that are available are CrossAction, Pro-white and Sensitive head. It also has a smart-guide, storage and travel case. You can carry everything in the travel case wherever you go. The Smart-Guide technology helps you to get to all areas of the mouth. You can also connect it through Bluetooth to your smartphone which makes it easier to track one’s brushing habits.
The toothbrush effectively spins around each tooth to make it extra clean and healthy. It also cleans gums and in between teeth for an overall coverage. Also, the fact that the toothbrush comes with a variety of heads is useful for people who have braces. The Smart-Guide helps you to control the pressure and other aspects and also helps you to make instant adjustment while brushing.
The brush will automatically place an order for toothbrush heads when you run out of them. The charge also lasts for a long time.
2. Oral-B Black Pro 1000 Power Toothbrush
The tooth brush has unique oscillating action that that provides complete cleaning. It removes 300% more plaque along the gum line as compared to regular toothbrush. It also has a pressure sensor that stops the movement once the pressure limit exceeds. The pack contains one Oral B professional handle, one cross-action brush and one charger. The toothbrush can be used with a lot of toothbrush heads. The brush is angled at 16 degree which enables it to reach places where regular toothbrushes do not normally reach. The special plaque removing technology is a wonder. It oscillates around the teeth to clean it up. Therefore, it is great for braces. It also vibrates every ten seconds and asks you to move to another part of the mouth. It has a total brushing cycle of two minutes. It perfectly cleans one tooth at a time.
3. Fairywill electric toothbrush clean as dentist rechargeable sonic toothbrush
As the name suggests, the Fairywill electric toothbrush provides cleaning that is as good as cleaning provided by the dentist. You will have cleaner and healthier teeth in just seven days. It does not produce a lot of noise and provides thorough cleaning. It only takes about four hours to get completely charged and the charge lasts for about thirty days. It automatically ceases the charging when it is completely charged. It has a brushing time of two minutes and stops every thirty seconds. This ensures a dentist like cleaning.
It has five high performance brushing modes that suit all kinds of teeth and gum. It is extremely light weight, almost half the weight of regular toothbrushes. It is light in hand but provides thorough cleaning and is easily manageable. Due to its long lasting battery life, you can easily carry it anywhere. The adapter and USB cable meant for charging are easy to carry anywhere as they are very light. The brush is provided with rounded bristles which provide gentle cleaning. The bristles are made of dupont nylon that suits the surface of your teeth. It also cleans areas that are difficult to reach with normal toothbrushes. When it comes to clean and healthier teeth this toothbrush is definitely a game changer. You must definitely give the product a try.
4. Oral-B Vitality Dual Clean Toothbrush
Oral-B vitality dual clean rechargeable electric toothbrush has two distinct moving sections that work together to clean teeth. It also has a two minute timer to ensure better cleaning of your teeth. The toothbrush is designed to ensure in between teeth cleaning. Oral B is the most recommended brand by dentists throughout the world. The toothbrush cleans better than regular toothbrushes do. It also has pressure sensor that allows you to control the amount of pressure applied. The battery lasts about ten days when completely charged. It is available in three modes- PRO 500, PRO 1000 and PRO 3000. The PRO 3000 model also comes with a Bluetooth connectivity which helps you track the health of your oral cavity.
It has oscillating motion that ensures the proper cleaning of individual teeth. The product ensures healthy teeth and gums.
5. Philips Sonicare 2 Series plaque control toothbrush
The Philips sonicare plaque control toothbrush removes six times more plaque than a regular normal toothbrush. It provides about 31,000 brush strokes per minute. It has specialized dynamic fluid action that helps to clean teeth and the gum line. It has a smart time sensor that notifies every two minutes. To make it easier for you to use, the easy start feature slowly increases the power of marijuana over fourteen uses. The toothbrush has curved bristles that match the shape of your teeth. This provides efficient cleaning and removes up to six times more plaque than your regular toothbrush. The handle has an intrinsic grip which makes it easy and comfortable to hold the brush. It also has a two color battery charge indicator that lets you know when there is less charge so that you know it is time to recharge. It has a battery life of up to two weeks. The bristles of the teeth are curved to match the shape of your teeth. The top of the tooth has a long power tuft that ensures cleaning in areas where regular toothbrushes do not reach. Hence it is suitable for those with braces. It also lets you know when it is time to change the brush head. The snap on design also makes it easier to change. The brush is made with easy to clean material. It also has an easy to carry charger. The toothbrush is available in several models.
6. Philips Sonicare Protective Clean 5100
The Philips Sonicare Protective clean toothbrush improves your teeth and gum health with a lot gentler action as compared to manual toothbrushes. It protects your teeth with a pressure sensor by notifying when the pressure applied is too hard. You will also be notified when you’ll have to change the brush head. It has three modes: clean, white and gum care that helps you to personalize your brushing experience. It has a two minute smart time with quad pacer that ensures a complete care for your oral cavity. It ensures complete cleanout of your mouth. It has a brush-sync technology that communicates with your toothbrush to select the correct mode and speed. You just have to switch on the toothbrush and it will take care of your oral health. It has a travel case that lets you carry the brush hygienically. It is completely safe and hygienic to use with braces.
7. Triple Bristle Best Sonic Electric Toothbrush
The triple bristle best sonic electric toothbrush guarantees to provide you with cleaner teeth and brighter smile in just one third of the time as compared to other toothbrushes. It has a three sided head that takes less time as compared to other electric toothbrushes. It also has indicator bristles that remind you to change your brush head on time. It has vibration action that cleans your teeth with minimum or no abrasion. Therefore, it is one of the best choices for teeth with braces. You will definitely notice a reduced amount of plaque. It not only keeps your teeth healthy but also keeps your gum healthy as well. The brush has a perfect angle for efficient cleaning. It cleans every corner of your oral cavity and removes stains and bacteria for complete care of your oral cavity. The tooth brush handle is extremely easy to use. It comes with a portable charger which allows you to carry it anywhere. It has three modes for more efficient cleaning.
8. Oral Care Club Sonic Electric Toothbrush
Oral care club sonic electric toothbrush has about 40,000 oscillations per minute that efficiently cleans out plaque. It has special angled brushes that increase the efficiency of the cleaning. It has three speed variations, namely, pulsate, oscillate and massage. Therefore it is suitable for teeth with braces. The battery lasts for about two weeks. It comes with two extra toothbrush heads that allows you to use it for about 18 months. The replacement costs are also very low. It also has a two year guarantee.
It is extremely easy to carry around and use.
9. Philips Sonicare Diamond Clean Smart 9700 Toothbrush
Philips Sonicare diamond clean smart rechargeable electric toothbrush guarantees exception cleaning of your teeth. It removes ten times more plaque and gives you a brighter smile. It provides you with cleaner teeth in just two weeks. It keeps your gums healthier as compared to manual toothbrushes. You can also personalize your tooth brushing experience with three intensities and five modes. It also provides you with real time feedback and progress report. It also has an automatic mode pairing that syncs the brush-heads to the optimal mode of brushing. The travel case also lets you charge the toothbrush on the go. You will be provided with real time feedback and personalized coaching that will ultimately make your tooth and gums healthier. The toothbrush has wonderful sweeping motions that will clean spaces in between teeth. Therefore it is perfect for braces.
10. Doctor Plotka’s Mouthwatchers Antimicrobial Floss Bristle Silver Toothbrush
Doctor Plotka brings you a manual toothbrush that is different and better than other toothbrushes. This toothbrush does not allow bacteria to grow on it. The number of bacteria on a regular toothbrush multiplies every twenty minutes. But by using Doctor Plotka’s mouthwatcher’s antimicrobial toothbrush, you are using a sterile toothbrush every time you brush. The soft and wonderfully designed bristles reach in places where ordinary toothbrushes do not reach. The handle is so designed that it is extremely comfortable and easy to use. The ultra thin bristles are exactly what make it perfect to use with braces.
11. Philips Sonicare Healthy White Electric Toothbrush
The Philips sonicare healthy white electric toothbrush is perhaps the most loved electric toothbrush. It improves shade of your teeth in just two weeks by effectively removing plaque. It uses efficient fluid action to clean your teeth. It has three modes: clean mode, white mode and sensitive mode which enables you to customize the product according to your need. It takes about 24 hours to charge completely. The two minute timer helps you to clean your teeth for the correct duration. It effectively removes stains when placed in clean mode. The travel case also allows you to safely carry it while you travel. You can buy the product here.
12. Oral-B Pro-Health CrossAction All-In-One Toothbrush Soft Bristles
The Oral-B Pro-Health toothbrush can be twisted in different angles that allow the effective cleaning of plaque and calculus. You can flex or straighten the toothbrush that allows it to penetrate within braces for effective cleaning. It also has a tongue cleaner on the other side of the toothbrush. The bristles are rounded which allows effective cleaning of plaque and stains. The criss-crossed bristles increase the surface area therefore decreasing the cleaning time. You can buy the product here.
Orthodontic treatment or braces is quite an expensive treatment. Therefore you wouldn’t want to ruin it by selecting the wrong toothbrush. Therefore it is important to look out for a toothbrush that will suit your need and keep your teeth healthy and braces intact. Choose a toothbrush that serves your purpose and smile away.