We all understand how important it is to brush our teeth to keep our mouth healthy. But, when we have braces, it becomes a different thing entirely. If you think brushing your teeth three times a day is already such a big task, imagine tripling those efforts just to keep your braces clean. After all, wearing braces means you’re more prone to getting food pieces stuck in between your teeth, which in turn, will hasten the build-up of plaque. You get perfectly straightened teeth with your braces, but you won’t be able to escape the plaque, gum problems, and possible tooth decay without regular brushing.
While you still have your braces on, be more vigilant with your overall oral care routine. It will take more work, but the results will definitely be worth it. With proper dental care practice, you’ll be able to enjoy straightened teeth and disease-free gums when it’s finally time to say goodbye to those metals in your mouth.
Here, we have collected some important details from orthodontists in Winter Springs about proper tooth care when you have braces. Read on to learn more:
Start with the right choice of toothbrush
When you have braces, you might need more than two types of toothbrush: a soft brush and a proxabrush. You need a toothbrush that can help you clean not just the surface of your teeth, but can also move around and between the brackets.
Do the usual up-and-down motion with your regular soft brush, starting from the bottom then going up for that thorough clean. Then, using a proxabrush, an inter-dental cleaner used to reach the spaces in between braces and brackets, do a few strokes in all directions, making sure you get into those hard-to-reach areas.
Brush your teeth without toothpaste first
This may sound a little odd, but the truth is it’s effective. Brushing without toothpaste means you won’t expect foams to build while you rotate your brush, giving you a better view of your teeth and braces as you clean them. This will allow you to see clearly which areas need to be thoroughly cleaned.
Once you feel like you’ve already gotten rid of all the food particles that got stuck in between, then it’s time to add a bit of toothpaste and start going over your teeth once more time. Following this trick allows you to give your teeth, gums, and braces the right amount of cleaning while still enjoying all the dental benefits that commercial toothpaste offer.
Floss and always make it a part of your routine
This may look like just another task for you, even if you’re not wearing braces. However, if you’re wearing dental braces, you should never skip flossing at least once a day for two to three minutes. As there are many types of flosses available, consult your orthodontist about the the best one that would work for you.
Finish everything with a mouthwash to completely get rid of all the food and plaque you’ve just brushed and flossed. Prevent other complications in your mouth such as gum diseases by sticking to a good routine while you still have your braces on.
