Maintaining good oral hygiene is always important. However, it becomes even more crucial when you have braces. Braces can make cleaning your teeth a bit harder. With the right techniques and tools, you can keep your mouth healthy and your teeth clean. Taking care of your teeth and braces does require a little extra time and effort. Yet, it’s worth it for a healthy smile. With good oral hygiene habits, you’ll be on your way to a beautiful, healthy smile once your braces come off. Maintaining good oral hygiene will make you a good candidate for many of the orthodontic services we provide.
Why Oral Hygiene is Important with Braces
When you have braces, food particles and plaque can easily get trapped around the brackets and wires. If not cleaned properly, this can lead to several problems, including:
- Cavities: Plaque buildup can lead to tooth decay, causing cavities to form around the brackets.
- Gum Disease: Poor oral hygiene can cause gums to become inflamed and infected, leading to gum disease.
- White Spots: These are early signs of tooth decay that can appear around the brackets and remain even after we remove your braces.
- Bad Breath: Food particles trapped in the braces can cause bad breath if not cleaned properly.
So, how do you keep your mouth healthy with braces? There are several steps that you need to take daily to avoid these dental health issues.
Brushing with Braces
Just like teeth without braces, you need to brush your teeth every day. However, the brackets and wires can get in the way. This is why brushing your teeth with braces requires a little more effort.
To begin, you need to choose the right toothbrush. When you brush your teeth, use a soft-bristled toothbrush or a special toothbrush to clean around braces. You should also brush after each meal. This will help to prevent food and plaque buildup. If you can’t brush right away, rinse your mouth with water until you can.
When brushing, hold your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to the gums and use small circular motions. You should make sure to brush above and below the brackets as well as on the chewing surfaces and the inside of your teeth.
Flossing with Braces
Flossing is a critical habit for anyone with teeth and gums. While flossing with braces can be tricky, it is vital to get rid of plaque and food particles between your teeth. It can also remove the plaque buildup near the brackets of your braces.
A floss threader is a handy tool that helps you thread the floss under the wires of your braces. It’s like a needle that guides the floss where it needs to go. You should also use waxed floss, which is less likely to get caught on your braces. Make it a habit to floss at least once a day, preferably before bedtime. This ensures your teeth are clean overnight.
When you floss, carefully thread the floss under the wire and between your teeth. You should gently move it up and down the sides of each tooth to remove plaque and food particles.
Additional Cleaning Tools
In addition to brushing and flossing, there are other tools that can help you keep your teeth and braces clean.
Interdental Brushes: These small brushes can fit between your braces and teeth to help remove food particles and plaque. They are especially useful for cleaning around brackets and wires.
Water Flossers: These devices use a stream of water to remove food particles and plaque from between your teeth and around your braces. They are very effective and can be a great addition to your oral hygiene routine.
Mouthwash: Using an antimicrobial or fluoride mouthwash can help reduce plaque and keep your mouth fresh. Rinse with mouthwash after brushing and flossing.
Orthodontic Wax: If your braces are causing irritation to your cheeks or gums, you can apply orthodontic wax to the brackets or wires to reduce discomfort.