Ensuring Effective Tooth Care with Braces

Dental braces will work to improve your smile as well as your oral health by aligning your jaws and teeth. However, maintenance and care are key to having that perfect smile and oral health. Therefore, to prevent gum disease, tooth decay, or staining, you will have to give you teeth some extra attention. Here are maintenance and care tips to consider when you have braces on your teeth.

Correct Brushing

While brushing is very essential and is something you won't have a problem with, it's important to ensure that you do it correctly. To find out whether you are brushing correctly, you can look at the state of your braces. They should look shiny and clean enough to enable you see clearly the edges of the brackets. However, if they appear dull or fuzzy, then probably you are brushing improperly.

Therefore, make sure you brush every tooth, paying careful attention to the places where your tooth touches the braces. Use pointy brushes, such as interdental brushes, that will reach tiny spots like areas around the braces. Flossing is equally important, so remember to floss every night before going to bed. A floss threader would be preferable because it will allow you to get the floss into tiny or tight places like underneath the wires.

Choice of Food

Watch what you eat when you have braces. Too much of starchy and sugary foods can result in the build-up of plaque around the brackets. This may in turn cause your teeth to stain and lead to gum diseases or cavities. Chewy and sticky foods such as chewing gum and pizza crust should also be avoided because they can easily be stuck in your braces. Avoid hard foods such as nuts because they can loosen your brackets or break the wires. For crunchy and hard-textured foods such as apples and raw foods, cut them into small pieces before eating.

Avoid habits such as nail biting or chewing on things such as pens.

Loose Wires or Brackets

If your braces have loose wires that are discomforting, you can fix them temporarily by pushing them back into position using the back of a spoon. If the loose wire or band is causing severe discomfort, add a buffer using things such as a wet cotton ball.

You will then have to inform your dentist or orthodontist as soon as possible because your orthodontic appliance may require some modifications.