Braces are an essential part of achieving a new, straighter smile. But with the benefit of braces comes the responsibility of keeping your teeth and gums clean during treatment. Food, plaque, and bacteria can easily get trapped with braces, meaning you must give more attention to your oral care. If you neglect your teeth during braces, you risk cavities, stains, or gum problems while your teeth are being corrected.
So just how can you keep your smile safe while in orthodontic treatment? By breaking it down into simple, everyday steps.
Why is Dental Care So Important With Braces?
Brackets, wires, rubber bands—when you have any sort of braces in your mouth, there are countless spots for food or plaque to hide in, especially in hard-to-reach places. If your teeth and mouth do not receive proper cleaning during a course of orthodontic treatment, those areas that accumulate bacteria can become infected.
With orthodontic treatment accompanied by carelessness with teeth cleaning, there is a real risk of cavities or gum inflammation. Your dentist in Markham often reminded you that while your braces are temporary, the oral health habits you develop will remain with you for a lifetime.
Where Can You Learn the Right Techniques?
If you have just begun treatment, you may have questions regarding where to turn for the right information. Finding orthodontics near you starts to connect you with professionals who can share cleaning techniques, suggest useful tools, and give some specific tips for your type of braces. Orthodontists can explain how to brush and floss so that your teeth are kept strong and in good health while they move to their new position.
How to Brush your Teeth with Braces on
One of the most common questions patients ask their orthodontist is. Here are a few easy steps you can take:
- Soft-Bristle Toothbrush: A soft-bristle toothbrush helps protect your gums and braces.
- Angle: Use the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle towards the brackets.
- All surfaces: Brushing the top, front, and bottom of each tooth, including the chewing surfaces (do not neglect this), is important, and all surfaces will not get cleaned otherwise.
- Time: Brushing for at least two minutes each time.
Use an electric toothbrush and use an orthodontic head attached for easier and quicker brushing if you’re having difficulty.
What Should Your Daily Routine Look Like?
Keeping the best oral hygiene routine for braces wearers doesn’t have to be difficult. Consider it as creating small daily habits:
- Brush your teeth after every meal and at bedtime.
- Rinse with water or a fluoride mouthwash to rinse away leftover food.
- Floss every day using a tool meant for braces. Use a floss threader or orthodontic floss pick for your flossing maintenance with braces because using regular floss may be a bit difficult.
- Schedule an appointment with your orthodontist to obtain braces adjustments and evaluate your teeth’s straightness and oral health.
Your Markham dentist near you may be able to suggest specific products to enhance your oral hygiene, such as interdental brushes that will make cleaning between the brackets and wires much easier.
What Foods Should You Stay Away From?
One of the more difficult parts of being in braces is adjusting your diet. While in braces, there are foods to avoid while wearing braces that can ruin your brackets or get stuck in your wires. These include:
- Sticky foods such as caramel, gum, or taffy.
- Hard foods, like popcorn kernels, nuts, or hard candies.
- Crunchy items such as raw carrots or apples (unless cut into smaller pieces).
- Chewy breads and pizza crusts that could potentially pull at your wire.
In addition to making good decisions about food and protecting your braces, you will end up with healthier teeth throughout your dental treatment.
How do I Floss if I have braces?
Learning how to floss properly with braces can take some practice, but it’s important! Here are some tips:
- Use a floss threader, slide the floss behind every wire
- Gently move or rub the floss up and down between each tooth and make sure not to snap the floss.
- If using regular floss is too hard, consider water flossers!
- Flossers spray a stream of water between teeth and around your brackets to help with cleaning.
It may take longer compared to before, but it is worth it to keep your gums happy and to reduce buildup.
How Do You Prevent Cavities While Wearing Braces?
Understandably, with all the treatment times, it may be hard not to be anxious about cavities, but as long as you have consistent habits in place, prevention can be simple! Here are tips to prevent cavities while wearing braces
- Brush and floss every day, even if it takes more time.
- Reduce sugary snacks and drinks.
- Drink lots of water to rinse and wash away the bacteria.
- Use fluoride toothpaste to help strengthen your enamel.
We want to help you so when your braces come off, your teeth not only look straight but also healthy and cavity-free.
Markville Dental: Your Partner for a Healthy Smile
Wearing braces is not easy when it comes to taking care of your teeth, but you don’t have to struggle alone. At Markville Dental, our team is here to help you every step of the way during your orthodontic journey. From demonstrating the right ways to clean your teeth to recommending products and checkups, we are ready to help you protect your smile.
Are you ready to keep your smile shining bright while your braces do their job? Call Markville Dental today to schedule your appointment to get the care you need to beam with confidence and have a healthy smile tomorrow!
