Life with Braces
Frisco, TX
What Life is Like with Braces
Brushing And Flossing With Braces
Dental hygiene is essential for preventing gum disease and tooth decay while you have braces. You must also avoid damaging your braces by adjusting your diet. During your treatment, try to avoid foods with a lot of sugar, which increases the amount of bacteria that grows in your mouth, causing more plaque and possibly decalcification (white spots) and cavities. Avoid sticky and chewy foods (caramel, chewing gum, gummy bears), hard foods (hard candy, nuts, ice cubes), or any food that could possibly get stuck in your braces (corn on the cobb, ribs, taffy, etc.). Be sure to schedule your routine checkups with your family dentist. It is recommended that you continue to visit the dentist every six months.
Our team at Rendon Orthodontics will instruct you on how to keep your teeth clean and will be glad to answer any questions regarding oral health treatment options.
Brushing With Braces
Brush your teeth 2 or 3 times a day, or after every meal. Keep the brush at a 45-degree angle to the gum line. Vary the strokes and be gentle. Brushing too vigorously can cause harm to your gums and damage the wires and brackets. Consider using an electric toothbrush to get your teeth cleaner with less effort, as long as you have a good technique. It is also advisable to use an interproximal brush. An interproximal brush is a small, specialized brush for cleaning areas between the teeth. It is very helpful since sometimes a regular brush cannot reach the space between the teeth or the brackets/wires.
Foods to Avoid with Braces
How To Floss With Braces
Flossing once daily is usually enough to remove the food debris and prevent plaque. A floss threader or "orthopick" is necessary to floss your teeth when you have braces. After using the threader to place the floss under your wires, create a curve with the floss and let the floss glide gently back and forth across each tooth. Repeat the process until you remove food particles from each tooth.
Other Options To Keep Your Teeth Clean
Make sure to use toothpaste that contains fluoride and ask your orthodontist or family dentist if you need a fluoride rinse. This will help prevent cavities! Also, use a mouth rinse, as necessary, to keep your mouth clean and fresh. An oral irrigator or "waterpik" can be used to channel water between the brackets and teeth and remove food debris.
Schedule an Appointment Today
Rendon Orthodontics can address any issues you may have with keeping your teeth clean with braces. Talk to our dentist at 469-956-5022 for dental checkups or cleanings today. |
