Braces will give you a beautiful smile, but maintaining it is just as important. The importance of good dental hygiene in orthodontic treatment cannot be overstated. Because the brackets and wires hold food particles and create a shelf around the exterior of the teeth, making it more difficult to clean, braces increase plaque collection. Even though dentists use new tools for each patient, plaque has the capability of discoloring teeth and destroying tooth enamel. Follow these instructions from Instador to keep your teeth in good shape.
- Brush your teeth gently with a soft toothbrush. Between your brackets and gums, it’s vital to maintain the upper portion of your teeth clean. The toothbrush bristles must make contact with the gums to properly clean the enamel. Use a brush with softer bristles and direct it toward your gums to avoid irritating them.
- Brush your teeth after each meal. Food gets lodged between the brace wires, thus cleaning them on a regular basis is necessary to avoid plaque. Bringing a portable toothbrush with you is a great idea. If you don’t have one, rinse with water for 30 seconds. The exception is brushing after an acidic meal. To avoid harming the enamel, brush your teeth 30 minutes to an hour after eating oranges or drinking sports drinks.
- Use a modest amount of toothpaste when brushing your teeth. Plaque and grit may be more difficult to detect when using toothpaste foam. Cleaning your teeth with a damp toothbrush around the brackets and between the wires is a good place to start. Use a fine-toothed picking motion instead of scrubbing. After that, clean as usual with a pea-sized amount of toothpaste.
- Brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes each time. Give each of your upper, lower, upper, and lower left jaws 30 seconds of attention. Brush your teeth on the inside and outside. To make sure you brush for the full two minutes, set a timer.
- To achieve this, use a floss threader or a Waterpik. When you have braces on your teeth, flossing is one of the most difficult jobs. If you tie the floss to a threader, it will be easier to thread it through the wire. Use a sawing motion to remove even more plaque. Consider purchasing a Waterpik water flosser. With a stream of water, it flosses swiftly and easily.
- Rinse your mouth with mouthwash at night. To help prevent tooth decay and protect enamel, look for a fluoride mouthwash with anti-cavity characteristics. Any remaining particles will be removed after a one-minute rinse. Look in the mirror after rinsing to check if you missed anything.
