All patients should use a regular tooth brush with tooth paste for initial cleaning. Then, the bristle-brush works well for cleaning food that gets stuck under the wire and around the bracket. The bristle-brush is found at the other end of the regular tooth brush.
We call this “needle-and-thread”. The patient should go under the wire and pull the floss through with the other hand and push it in between the teeth to remove any food that may have stuck between the teeth and gums and gently remove it.
The rubber end works well on massaging the gums. Keeping the gums clean will keep the teeth bacteria-free and help the treatment go smoother.
Use of wax will help the patient alleviate any irritation they may feel from the braces. The patient can just cut off a small piece of wax and apply it to the part of the bracket that is causing the irritation.
The patient should use the mirror to see if they have cleaned the teeth and gums adequately.