What Kind Of Toothbrush Is Best for Braces?
At Kurt Kavanaugh Orthodontics, our mission is to help patients throughout the Sedalia and Kansas City, MO areas achieve beautiful, healthy smiles through comprehensive orthodontic treatment. We’re proud to offer a wide variety of treatment options ranging from traditional metal braces to discreet alternatives like Invisalign to help our patients achieve that smile, but in addition to the care we provide in our office, how you care for your smile at home is vital to the success of your treatment. That means maintaining a comprehensive oral hygiene regimen through diligent brushing and flossing is critical – but which toothbrush is best to use with braces?
How to Choose the Right Toothbrush for Braces
With so many options on the market, choosing a toothbrush can feel a little overwhelming. Soft or hard bristle? Big or small brush head? And of course, should you go with manual or electric?
While it can feel difficult to make the choice, there is some good news: with proper technique, you can effectively clean your teeth with almost any toothbrush. The only caveat is that we always recommend soft-bristle toothbrushes, as a medium or hard-bristle brush can damage the gums and lead to gum recession and erosion.
A soft-bristle toothbrush is the most important thing to choose. After that, it’s largely up to personal preference. People with larger mouths tend to prefer larger toothbrush heads, while those with smaller mouths may find compact brush heads easier to maneuver. Manual toothbrushes are perfectly effective in cleaning the teeth when used with proper technique – but especially during orthodontic treatment, some patients find electric toothbrushes with a compact brush head to be a little easier and more convenient to use.
That’s because electric brushes largely take care of the technique element for you, using specialized motorized movements to eliminate bacteria and plaque. Because they move automatically, electric brushes usually use more compact brush heads, which allows them to clean each individual tooth more easily and makes them a little more dextrous for cleaning braces. The only thing to remember is that if you do choose an electric brush while wearing braces, make sure to keep it at a moderate power setting and to avoid letting the hard back of the brush head hit your brackets.
Contact Your Kansas City, MO Orthodontist
We hope this blog helps demystify the process of choosing the right toothbrush, and as always, we’re here if you need more help making your selection. Contact us today to ask any questions you have about choosing a toothbrush or to learn more about how orthodontic treatment can help you achieve a beautiful new smile. We can’t wait to hear from you, and no matter which brush you choose, we wish you luck in keeping your teeth clean and healthy during orthodontic treatment!
