maybe it was his... hmm ya never know.

Hmm. That's incredibly strange and dumb advice. Brushing your teeth while you have braces is definitely a good thing. Do you want white stains where your braces were because your teeth turned yellow due to not brushing them? Naw, I didn't think so. You need to slightly modify how you brush your teeth (i.e. you have to brush them more, you have to change the way you floss, and you -should- use a WaterPik* or something similar to wash away excess food stuck in your braces). You're not to brush the actual brace, but the visible tooth above and below. * - A WaterPik is basically that rinse tube your dentists use at your regular check-up. It's better than simply putting water in your mouth and rinsing that way because it's got a higher pressure. It literally sprays food away. I've never used one, but I was told that I was to brush my teeth after every meal (3 times a day) and if I can't brush, to rinse well; I was also told to floss with some contraption thing that I found hard to use.

61, I had braces for five years, and dentists and orthodontists EMPHASIZE brushing your teeth while having braces. They show all the new kids getting braces horrific pictures of people who don't take care of their teeth while wearing braces, and how it can result in holes in their teeth--even the very middle of your front teeth (just where the braces sat.) I can't think of a dental professional in the world that would ever recommend you don't brush your teeth--and floss.