When you have braces, your mouth is full of all kinds of extra stuff that isn’t usually there. Especially in the beginning, those wires, brackets, and rubber bands can present real cleaning challenges. The extra gear causes food particles to get lodged in places that are difficult to reach, and it may also inhibit the body’s natural mouth-cleaning processes. As all Edmonton orthodontists will tell you, dental care is a high priority in general, but whenever you have braces, it’s important to put a little extra time and effort into the cleaning process.
The most common dental problem associated with braces is plaque build-up in areas that are hard to get to with a toothbrush. These areas can turn into bacteria breeding grounds, which leads to gum disease, painful swelling, and cavities.
If you have braces and have questions about keeping your mouth clean, Edmonton orthodontists are the best resources for clear, authoritative information. However, in case your next appointment isn’t for a while, here are some tips to help for good dental care with braces.
Frequency of brushing: Since lodged particles of food are the most frequent causes for tooth problems relating to braces, it’s essential to clean your teeth immediately after eating a meal. This prevents those food particles from getting too deeply lodged, and it harnesses the natural in-mouth digestive processes that occur after meals.
Also, it’s a good idea for anyone who has braces to carry some travel toothpaste and a toothbrush at all times, particularly to places like school and work. This way, you can brush after lunch breaks or any other meals that aren’t at home. Edmonton orthodontists can give the best advice for the types of toothpastes and brushes that are most effective for braces.
Brushing all the surfaces: When you don’t have braces, there are three primary surfaces to brush—the outside of the teeth, the inside, and the bottom surfaces of the back teeth. But with braces, there are many more surfaces, which makes the job much more difficult. Whenever you brush, make sure to get all those little extra surfaces that braces create. It may take twice as long, but the extra work is worth it.
Floss twice as much: When you have braces, flossing becomes twice as important. It’s also more challenging, but Edmonton orthodontists should be able to show you some good trick for flossing with braces. Also remember that it’s going to get easier with practice. It might be hard for a few weeks, but you’ll get the hang of it eventually.
Rinse very well: It’s important to flush the lingering food particles out of your mouth. To do so, use warm water to rinse thoroughly immediately after flossing and brushing. It can’t hurt to do a few rinsing cycles to make sure you get everything.
Rinse with mouthwash: For all those little impossible-to-reach nooks that are created by braces, mouthwash is the ideal tool. It floods all those little areas and attacks the bacteria and plaque. Do it twice a day, and rinse for over a minute in each session. Edmonton orthodontists have recommendations for the best types of mouthwashes to use when you have braces.
