The fact is—wearing braces comes with definitive challenges in oral hygiene
It is that much harder to properly clean your teeth with braces, but it is that much more important because of the damage that can be done to your teeth during this time.
Due to the wires and brackets, it is very easy for food to get stuck inside and then plaque can build up, which in turn leads to tooth decay and enamel stains.
Tips for Braces Care
- Try to spend a bit more time on your oral hygiene routine while wearing braces
- Brush more often, ideally after every time you eat
- Flossing is critical—it is not easy with braces but there are flossing tools made special for flossing with braces, so it CAN be done!
- Brush your retainer or appliance. Use a denture toothbrush with medium to firm bristles to do a thorough job to remove all the residue
- Brushing very thoroughly is important— if you don’t remove all the food particles, they can react with the metal and produce a demineralizing effect— and that can cause little white spots on the teeth that also can turn into cavities
- Use a flouride rinse after brushing—this is also helps avoid the cavities from forming
- Avoid sticky and chewy foods like taffy, caramel and gum. Beyond getting stuck in the braces, they can even pull the braces off your your teeth
- Biting and chewing extra hard foods like popcorn or hard pretzels can also break wires and loosen brackets
- Crunchy health foods like carrots or apples can even be hard on braces—cut them into smaller pieces to avoid any damage to the braces.
Be sure to keep up with your regular visits to the dentist and inquire if you should have more frequent visits while you are wearing your braces.
Follow these tips and guidelines to insure your smile will be both straight, and healthy, when those braces finally come off!
For further information, visit us at www.deltadentalnj.com
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