Which toothbrush for braces? The complete guide for effective cleaning

Bands, metal wires, brackets… Wearing braces is an investment for a perfectly aligned smile later on. But in the meantime, there's one question that comes up every morning in front of the mirror: which toothbrush is the most suitable?

Because with braces, simple brushing isn't enough anymore. But rest assured, with the right equipment and a few simple habits, keeping healthy teeth during your treatment isn't rocket science. We'll tell you everything in this article.

They turn your mouth into a real minefield for your toothbrush. Between the brackets glued to each tooth, the metal wire running through them, and the elastics, everything becomes an excuse to trap food residue and bacterial plaque. The result: the areas usually easy to clean become almost inaccessible, especially around the brackets and under the wire. In short, brushing requires more care… and equipment designed for these constraints.

Using an unsuitable brush means risking letting plaque build up gradually around the brackets. And the consequences show up quickly:

• White spots (enamel demineralization) that appear when the braces are removed,

• Cavities that develop sneakily around the brackets,

• Gingivitis, with red, swollen gums that bleed when brushing,

• Bad breath that lingers.

All these annoyances can be avoided with the right equipment. But first you need to know which one to choose.

It was designed for people wearing braces: its bristles are trimmed in a V-shape, shorter in the middle to go over the brackets, and longer on the edges to clean the teeth thoroughly. A design trick that fits the shape of the braces perfectly. It's an excellent choice for daily brushing throughout your treatment.

No need to panic if you don't have the previous brush on hand: classic toothbrushes will do, as long as you go about it the right way. The important thing is to go for softness, get a small head to reach the tricky corners, and take your time when brushing.

This is often what orthodontists recommend, and for good reason: it removes more plaque than manual toothbrushes, which is a real advantage when every bracket becomes a bacteria trap. If you're tempted by electric, go for sonic technology: its micro-vibrations clean gently around the brackets, without risking loosening them or irritating the gums, which are often more sensitive during treatment. And as a bonus, the built-in timer ensures you brush long enough.

Impossible to skip! Interdental brushes slide under the wire and between the brackets, where no toothbrush can reach. Choose a suitable diameter (your orthodontist can help you) and use them at least once a day, preferably in the evening. They complement brushing, not replace it.

For a good clean, three things really matter:

• Soft bristles, so they don't irritate the gums or damage the enamel,

• A small head, that easily fits around the brackets and all the way to the back molars,

• A handle that feels good in your hand, so you stay in control during the three minutes of brushing.

Both can work, but electric has a real edge. With a manual toothbrush, you need perfect technique and a lot of discipline. The electric one does part of the work for you: the movements are optimized, there's a built-in timer, and the efficiency stays consistent. For teenagers, it's often the best solution for thorough brushing. If you prefer manual, orthodontic toothbrushes remain the best choice.

Go for a sonic electric toothbrush with several intensity levels. That way, you can adjust the power to your sensitivity, especially after tightening appointments when your teeth are more painful. MyVariations soft toothbrushes with their 5 modes will be perfect for you. On the manual side, orthodontic toothbrushes are easy to find at the pharmacy. And don't hesitate to ask your orthodontist for advice!

Ideally, brushing should happen after every meal, so three times a day, holding a good three minutes each time. Yes, that's more than the usual two brushings, but with braces, small pieces of food get stuck in them, which leaves you little choice. If you can't brush after lunch, at least rinse your mouth thoroughly with clean water in the meantime.

Place your brush at a 45-degree angle where the gum meets the tooth. Then carefully brush above and below the brackets, to clean around them. Do it zone by zone, without forgetting the inner surfaces of the teeth and the chewing surfaces. If you're using an electric toothbrush, let it do the work: move it gently from tooth to tooth.

For truly complete oral hygiene, add to your routine:

• Interdental brushes, at least once a day,

• Dental floss with a threader to get under the metal wire,

• A water flosser, effective for dislodging debris in the hardest-to-reach corners,

• A fluoride mouthwash, as a complement, on your dentist's advice.

You might think that hard bristles clean better around braces. But in reality, they irritate the gums, already under a lot of strain from the braces, damage the enamel and can even weaken the bonding of the brackets. Gentleness and consistency always beat brute force.

Under the wire, behind the molars, along the gumline… Plenty of nooks that are easy to forget, especially at the end of the day when motivation drops. The problem is, these are exactly the areas plaque loves. Methodical, zone-by-zone brushing helps avoid these gaps.

Brackets wear down bristles much faster than normal teeth do. While it's usually recommended to change your brush (or head) every three months, with braces you often need to do it every six to eight weeks. As soon as the bristles start to splay out, that's the signal.

Feedback from wearers is unanimous: switching to an electric toothbrush is often a real relief. No more doubts about brushing quality, the timer and vibrations do the work. Many also highlight the importance of interdental brushes, discovered during treatment and kept for good afterward!

In 2023, a meta-analysis revealed that electric toothbrushes reduce the plaque index by around 14% in people wearing braces (and even up to 17% in those who don't), compared to manual toothbrushes. These figures back up the conclusions of the famous 2014 Cochrane review, which had already noted a decrease of up to 21% over the long term with an electric toothbrush.

Braces require a bit more discipline day to day, but with the right equipment (sonic electric toothbrush or soft orthodontic toothbrush, plus interdental brushes), you give yourself the best chance for a smile that's as healthy as it is aligned by the end of treatment. Your future smile will thank you!