Braces are the first step to a great smile and beginning the process is truly exciting. Taking care of your braces and the overall health of your teeth isn’t easy. It requires commitment and effort to see you through. Here are nine useful braces care tip right from the experts. It will make it easier to go through the process, and get the best outcome.
1.Brush After Every Meal : An Important Braces Care Tip
Among the common braces care tips, the first is to brush your teeth after every meal. It’s one of the most important tips to remember. Braces provide space for food particles to stay. This allows plaque to build up on them. The breath starts to stink and can even lead to cavities. Brush with a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste when brushing around brackets and wires. Most of your brushing should be by the gum line and other hard-to-reach areas.
Pro Tip:
For a more efficient brushing, you can use an electric toothbrush.
2.Interdental Brush or Water Flosser
Brushes generally cannot get into small areas that are around the brackets and wires of braces. For better results, buy an interdental brush or a water flosser. With these instruments, it becomes easier to reach areas around brackets and under the wires. This will help to cut down on high chances of contracting gum diseases as well as tooth decays.
3.Floss Daily: A Must-Follow Braces Care Tip
Braces are designed to move teeth and align them properly. However, at times, it becomes quite complicated to floss. And especially with braces in place, one really has to ensure they floss well in order to keep their teeth and gums healthy. If you have braces, then you have to consider using a floss threader or orthodontic-specific floss in between the teeth and wires. It helps to bring out the harmful leftovers stuck in between your teeth. This is especially useful as it is on par with a professional cleaner. That’s because it eliminates the tiny food particles and plaque that your toothbrush cannot reach.
Pro Tip:
Spend at least 5-10 minutes for flossing and obtain optimal results from this method for flossing.
4. Avoid Sticky and Hard Foods
Caramel, chewing gums, and toffees are some of the foods that can ‘stick’ to braces and can damage them. The same applies to kernels on popcorns, whole apples, and nut seeds. These can be damaging enough to break wires and brackets. Avoid crisp foods such as crisps, nuts, biscuits, bread or any chips as they usually take longer to break down.
Did You Know?
Sweet foods are not the only ones that cause harm to braces. Even ordinary chips can cause the brackets to break if bitten roughly.
5. Should Wear Mouth Guard While Playing Sports
When it comes to sports, protect that brace and your teeth by wearing a mouth guard. Custom sports mouth guards, also known as orthodontic mouth guards, are specially designed to cover an individual’s mouth, especially over braces.
6. Be Gentle with Your Braces
A few things you need to be careful with, especially when you put on braces include the following. Special attention should be paid to habits like pencil, pen or nails chewing. They can harm wires and brackets. It is important that you should always bite with the back teeth. Also, never use your teeth to open any lids.
7. Use Antibacterial Mouthwash for rinsing
Mouthwash helps reduce plaque buildup while giving your mouth a fresh smell. It also helps keep your gums healthy. Opt for an antibacterial mouth rinse to reach those areas of your mouth which a toothbrush can’t reach. Antibacterial mouth rinse is also used for orthodontic patients.
8. Get Regular Orthodontic Appointments
Orthodontist appointments should be made regularly when you are on braces. These appointments guarantee that your braces are fixed correctly. The dentist checks the progress and any problem that may possibly arise is dealt with before it worsens. If you miss your appointments, it means that your healing period might also get longer.
9. Carry a Braces Care Kit
It’s important that you always have a braces care kit handy at all times. The kit may include items like toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, interdental brushes, and orthodontic wax. This kit is very helpful especially when you are away from your home and need to clean your teeth. Keeping the kit handy also relieves you from discomfort which may result from the wires that protrude from your aligners.
Final Thoughts
Looking after your braces is not an enigma as it might seem at first. These braces care tips will help you take care of your teeth and avoid any discomfort to reach that perfect smile. Bear in mind to always clean your teeth and follow a strict regimen in order to have the best orthodontic experience.
FAQs
How Frequently Should One Brush Their Teeth with Braces On?
This is an important question, because you need to brush your teeth after any and every meal. In this case, since you wear braces it is even more important because it can easily accumulate plaque.
What if I consume Chocolate When I Have put on Braces?
It’s ok. But it can be painful if it sticks or if it gets too hard to remove without tearing the paper. Hard candies are harmless. But, avoid those containing caramel and nuts.
What do I do if I have a Broken Bracket or a wire?
If one of the brackets or the wire comes off, use orthodontic wax to cover the sharp edge and visit the orthodontist urgently.
With braces care you are in a position to have healthy and beautiful smiles throughout a life. You only need to make the right investment.
So, take care of your braces have put on that lovely smile on your face!
