Navigating the Braces Maze: The Best Way to Care for Your Teeth When You Have Braces

Rockin' braces? Anyone who’s had them knows they’re a labyrinth of brackets and wires. They make it much harder to remove food, bacteria, and plaque from your teeth. Yucky stuff gets stuck in every nook and cranny. We get it: Sometimes it just seems easier to forget about flossing and brushing.

But wait! Neglecting your chompers when you’re wearing braces can have big-time consequences that last long after those wires come off. We’ll tell you all about it and why CocoPlush Threaders are the absolute best flossing solution for braces-boastin' smiles.

What Happens When You Don’t Floss and Brush Regularly with Braces? 

You’ve likely invested quite a bit of money and time to reveal your most beautiful smile by wearing braces. But if you’ve been letting flossing and brushing fall by the wayside, you might be in for a nasty surprise when those wires finally come off. Here are a few results of not brushing and flossing with braces:

• Permanent white spots. These patchy white spots are caused by localized demineralization from stuck-on food and plaque that create acid and eat at the enamel.
   
• Staining. Bacteria and plaque build-up, along with drinking dark liquids such as coffee or red wine, can lead to discoloration of your enamel.   
  
  
• Gingivitis. Also known as gum disease, gingivitis shows up in the form of tender, swollen gums that bleed easily. Left untreated, it can lead to what’s next in line.
  
  
• Periodontitis. A serious form of gum disease, periodontitis can lead to tooth and jawbone loss, if left untreated. 
  
  
• Cavities. Without brushing or flossing, the acid created by bacteria goes unchecked, leading to tooth decay.   

Braces Basics: Brush at Least Twice a Day and Floss Daily

It may take a little longer to brush and floss when you’re angling your way around braces, but it’s worth the effort. You’ll likely want to brush after every meal (nobody likes to be told they have “a little something” in their teeth!). So put on some catchy toothbrushing tunes (there’s a nice list here!), and follow the instructions of your orthodontist. 

You’ll rinse both at the beginning and end of your smile-care routine. Take time to carefully and gently brush along your gumline at a 45-degree angle, and then make your way along the top and bottom of your brackets, using the same angle. Don’t forget the surfaces of your molars too! Our super-soft, ultra-cleansing Cocobrush can bring some bliss to this toothy task.

Even if you’ve carefully cleaned your grill with a brush, you still need to floss! But regular string floss can’t do the limbo below your braces. You need special floss to get under those wires. But which one?

A Flossy Showdown: Which Floss Is Best for Braces?

To properly fish out food bits, snatch plaque, and clean over and around braces, plus between your teeth, it’s utterly necessary to floss. There are a few different floss methods people use, so we’ll break them down and share why we recommend CocoPlush Threaders above all.

Water Flossers

PROS:

- Easy to use

- Can help remove plaque and food from around braces

- Can clean under the gumline

CONS:

- Can’t reach between teeth, which means food and bacteria stay to do their cavity-causing job

- Not as effective as string floss

Traditional Floss Threaders

PROS:

- Make string floss usable with braces

- Help you navigate between and under wires

CONS:

- Annoying multi-step: You have to thread the floss into the “needle” and make sure it doesn’t fall out

- They don’t come with floss

- When used with slippery gliding floss, they’re not as effective

Why CocoPlush Threaders Are Best for Braces

PROS:

👍 One-step ease: Just unwind a piece like regular string floss, cut, and you’re ready to clean!

👍 Built-in stiff threader easily navigates between and under wires

👍 Extra-fluffy Cocofloss expands to deeply clean more surface area

👍 Infused with naturally soothing coconut oil and vegan wax

👍 Free of BPA, parabens, SLS, and PFAS. Leaping Bunny–certified cruelty-free.

👍 Cleanly woven from recycled water bottles

CONS:

- We’ll get back to you on that one 😉

Give Your Smile the TLC It Deserves with CocoPlush Threaders

There’s no debate here: CocoPlush Threaders are the easiest, most effective way to ensure your teeth stay clean while you’re wearing braces. With super-fluffy, cleansing Cocofloss and a build-in stiff threader, you can navigate the braces maze like a pro. When your orthodontist finally reveals your wire-free grin, you’ll have nothing do nothing but shine (oh, and proudly wear that retainer 😁).