Helpful Products

Toothbrushes

Manual Toothbrush — Any soft-bristled toothbrush works well with braces. Soft bristles are gentle on gums and enamel while cleaning effectively around brackets and wires. Replace your toothbrush when the bristles show wear — with braces, that can happen every two to three months or sooner. Worn bristles clean less effectively and defeat the purpose of brushing thoroughly.

Electric Toothbrush — An electric toothbrush makes cleaning around braces easier and more thorough. The oscillating head reaches areas a manual brush can miss, and the built-in timer helps ensure adequate brushing time. Oral-B and Sonicare are both excellent options.

Interproximal (Proxy) Brush — Small cone-shaped brushes designed to clean between teeth, around brackets, and under wires. Highly effective at removing plaque and debris that regular brushing misses.

Flossing

Super Floss — Combines a stiff threader end, spongy floss, and regular floss in one strand. The stiff end threads easily under the wire and the spongy section cleans effectively between teeth.

Platypus Flosser — A disposable floss pick with a flattened head designed to slip between the wire and teeth. Available in a standard and an environmentally friendly "Earthwise" version.

Floss Threader — A simple, inexpensive tool that helps thread regular floss under orthodontic wires for thorough cleaning between teeth.

GUM Soft-Picks — Flexible rubber-bristled picks that slide gently between teeth and under brackets. A convenient option for cleaning on the go.

Water Flosser — A Waterpik or similar device can be helpful for flushing debris from around brackets and between teeth. A useful addition to your routine — not a substitute for brushing, but a good complement to it.

Topical Fluoride

Fluoride Mouthrinse — An additional layer of protection against cavities and white spot stains. Most rinses contain sodium fluoride. Phos-Flur contains acidulated phosphate fluoride (APF), which may enhance enamel absorption. Choose a flavor you'll actually use — consistency matters more than the specific formulation.

Stannous Fluoride Toothpaste — Stannous fluoride (SnF) offers broader protection than the more common sodium fluoride — including antimicrobial properties that help reduce gum inflammation and plaque in addition to cavity protection. Available from Crest, Colgate, Sensodyne, and others. Worth choosing over standard fluoride toothpaste during treatment.

Aligner & Retainer Care

Ultrasonic Cleaning Pod — Uses sonic vibration to remove stains and bacteria from aligners and retainers. Rinse thoroughly after use. Widely available online — we've found models with UV sanitizing particularly effective.

Aligner Cleaning Crystals — Dissolve in water to clean and freshen aligners and retainers. Retainer Brite and Invisalign brand crystals are both reliable options. Use as directed.

Pul Tool — A small tool that makes removing tight-fitting aligners significantly easier. Worth having if you find removal uncomfortable.

Aligner Chewies — Small soft cylinders you bite on to help seat aligners fully against the teeth. Particularly useful when switching to a new tray. Available from Invisalign and other retailers.

Questions about any of these products? Ask us at your next visit — we're happy to help.