Braces and Oral Hygiene

When you have braces, you need to focus on your oral hygiene.  Those brackets and rubber bands are the perfect locales for some debris and plaque, and it can cause cavities and so much worse if you’re not taking care of it properly.  It often is quite frustrating to do, but if you take care of it now, it actually can keep your teeth fully clean during treatment.  Here, you’ll learn how.

You should brush your braces and teeth depending n how many times you eat.  But, it should be at least three times each day. If you can’t do it after one meal, rinse and get the particles off of there. Yes, brackets make it harder, but if you do it three minutes a day, you can get around this, and make sure you do it lightly so the brackets don’t get damaged.

So what do you do with brushing and flossing? Well first, you want that extra soft toothbrush.  If you can get an electric one such as Sonicare, you’ll be even better off. Angle this, and move straight down, and then angle it up from the bottom. Lightly press it in circles. A water flosser can help if you have spaces hard to reach.

There is also an interproximal brush that’s great if you want to quickly clean and you don’t have time for brushing and flossing. It is tapered on one end to go under the wires to remove the plaque so it isn’t embedded on the teeth or around there, just use caution when you use it to not loosen the brackets.

For the toothpaste, always use one with fluoride, since it will help protect the teeth, and don’t use whitening since it can affect the shades of the teeth once you remove the braces.

Then there is floss. You should get one that’s flat, easy to thread, and you should consider getting dental flossers if you have issues. Superfloss is also good since it goes under the wires of the brackets. Once under, the spongy part keeps it around the brackets, and it also has regular floss to get the plaque from under the gumline too.

Then there are floss threaders, which allows you to floss easier. it’s like a sewing needle, and from there, you essentially floss under the brackets t get it in there, and it makes the chore of flossing much easier.

Finally, consider using a mouthwash to strengthen the teeth and enamel. Go with an alcohol-free mouthwash, since it does tend to dry out the teeth in many cases, and it can cause dry mouth which often leads to potential tooth decay in many cases. It does make a difference if you use it.

Braces aren’t fun. They take a lot of time out of the day to take care of, but if you’re ready to have a beautiful and straight smile, these tips will allow you to do it, and it will make upkeep easier.