Cleaning of loose braces

In the case of orthodontic treatment with loose, removable braces, in addition to daily dental care, the braces themselves must also be thoroughly cleaned. The appliance can easily be cleaned carefully with an ordinary toothbrush or a special denture brush. Of course you can simply use water and toothpaste.

Since plaque tends to settle on the surface of the removable braces, which sooner or later leads to tartar deposits, the appliances should be soaked in a special cleaning solution for about 15 minutes at least once a week. The box provided by the dental laboratory should be used to store the braces. In this box the orthodontic devices are protected from contamination and deformation.

Cleaning tabs for dentures are often also used for cleaning braces. Dental prosthesis cleaners can be purchased over the counter in drugstores or pharmacies and are available as cream, liquid, powder or in tablet form. When using them, care should be taken to follow the instructions for use and especially not to exceed the application time.

If the loose braces are left in the solution for too long, the plastic can change, making it porous and easier to break. Furthermore, it is important not to change the mixing ratios indicated on the package, otherwise the plastic of the braces can also be damaged. Denture cleaners are not suitable for daily cleaning, but are intended as an additional deep cleaning about 2-3 times a month.

Therefore, the cleaning tabs and denture cleaners do not replace the toothbrush as a daily cleaning agent, but are considered an additional deep cleaning agent to occasionally dissolve stubborn deposits and discolorations. Even slight discolorations caused by tea or coffee can be removed in this way. Loose braces can be cleaned with a toothbrush about once a week with a mixture of household vinegar and water.It is important, however, to dilute from one part vinegar to one part water and not to use higher doses of vinegar solutions in order not to damage the plastic.

For the application, the loose braces should be rinsed off thoroughly before they are placed in the vinegar solution for about half an hour. Then the braces should be rinsed and brushed again thoroughly to remove all traces of acetic acid so that it does not stick to the plastic for too long. When brushing off, care should be taken to hold the braces only by the plastic elements, not by the wires, in order not to bend them.

The water should also not be too hot, otherwise the plastic will deform. The occasional or daily ultrasonic cleaning for loose braces is highly recommended, as the ultrasonic waves gently loosen plaque and residue without damaging anything. A 3-5 minute application is often sufficient to clean the braces thoroughly.

Ultrasonic devices for home use are available from about twenty-five euros and are considered a safe method of cleaning braces. In addition to acetic acid, some home remedies are considered a suitable aid for cleaning loose braces. In addition the citric acid, which finds use like acetic acid in a certain mixing ratio with water as insert bath for the braces, counts.

Citric acid is also not a remedy for daily braces cleaning, because it can damage the plastic if used more often. It is also suitable for occasional intensive cleaning. Baking powder and baking soda as cleaning agents are not suitable, because they remove too much material of the soft plastic when scrubbing with a toothbrush and this makes the plastic unstable.