Wearing braces can help make your teeth straighter and give you a confident smile. Braces also improve your oral health by preventing any damage to your teeth that might even affect your gums. People who wear braces know that it can be challenging to take care of their teeth. It requires a careful process that will help you clean your teeth without damaging the braces as well as the teeth. If not maintained properly, your teeth might look old and stained, which is no longer helpful even after having braces for a long time.
In this blog, we provide you with information about braces and:
- Why is it important to take care of your teeth while wearing braces
- Brushing and flossing methods specifically for people who wear braces
- 5 tips to clean your teeth if you wear braces
Why is it Important to Take Care of Your Teeth While Wearing Braces
- Braces can leave small dents and trap food which leads to gum problems like plaque, cavities, and holes in your teeth.
- Even though braces can make cleaning teeth tough, good dental care prevents bad breath, stains, and other problems.
- If you don’t clean your teeth well, marks can form around brackets and white spots (decalcification) can become permanent on your teeth.
- Plaque and trapped food can make your gums sore and inflamed, which adds pain to your braces experience.
Brushing and Flossing Methods to Clean Your Teeth While Wearing Braces
Brushing and flossing your teeth becomes more tricky if you are wearing braces, but here are some methods to brush and floss your teeth:
Brushing:
Before you brush your teeth, get the right toothbrush to make it easy and pain-free. A soft-bristle toothbrush is suitable for someone with braces to clean the areas around the brackets. Electric toothbrushes are also quite good at cleaning your teeth, but ask your dentist to recommend some high-quality toothbrushes before purchasing them yourself.
First, rinse your mouth with water for half a minute, and start by holding your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to reach the entire area from the central tooth (front tooth) to the molar tooth (back tooth). Make sure to focus on the spaces between your braces and rinse your teeth each time you brush. Every two months, change your toothbrush and if you use an electric toothbrush, only replace the bristles.
Flossing:
Do not stop flossing once you get braces, because it is just as important as brushing your teeth. Brushing might not always clean between the teeth, and this is where plaque builds up and causes gum disease and tooth decay. For a clean floss every time without reusing it, take a longer piece or just rinse it off in water before you use it again.
People with braces should use waxed floss. Carefully thread the floss between the wires of the braces, and make sure there is enough on both ends to grab it. Next, put the floss between the gaps of the teeth and slowly slide it up and down to remove the plaque. Gently pull one end of the floss over the wire to remove it. Choose a water flosser to reduce the difficulty of flossing around the wires and brackets.
5 Tips to Keep Your Teeth Clean if You Wear Braces
Use a Proxabrush:
Proxabrush (Christmas tree brush) is a special kind of dental brush that is used to clean between each bracket of the braces.
Use Mouthwash
Use an antiseptic mouthwash to rinse your mouth after brushing and flossing to keep the germs away and reduce plaque buildup.
Maintain a Healthy Diet:
Plan a balanced diet with foods that have less sugar to avoid stains and plaque formation. Foods like Popcorn, chewing gum, and hard foods can damage your braces.
Avoid Colored Foods/Drinks:
Soft drinks that are colored can cause staining of your teeth and stick to braces, so you need to avoid drinks that are sugary and sticky.
Use a Mouth Guard
Wear a mouthguard to protect your teeth from breaking or chipping. Avoid grinding your teeth and biting your nails, especially when you have braces.
Conclusion
Take care of your braces by paying extra attention while brushing and flossing because you need to keep your braces clean and prevent any damage for them to work properly and prevent oral health issues. Make sure to see a dentist by scheduling your check-ups regularly and following their instructions to maintain your oral health.
