Do You Need Dental Care While You Have Braces?

Everybody must practice oral hygiene regardless of age. By brushing twice a day, you can remove plaque buildup and prevent cavities. Now, if you have braces, your dentist will recommend brushing five times a day for both cosmetic reasons and hygiene purposes. Moreover, you must make sure to go for regular dental check-ups with braces to detect any dental problems early on.

Well, people with braces have to spend more time brushing their teeth while putting in more effort. However, when you remove your braces to reveal shining white teeth and a beautiful smile, you will know it was all worthwhile.

Oral Hygiene: A Brief

Oral hygiene is all about cleaning your mouth, teeth, and gums. When you do so, you can prevent cavity buildup and gum-related disorders.

Oral Hygiene: Its Importance

If you do not maintain oral hygiene, the buildup of bacteria leads to plaque formation. All this gives rise to a host of health issues. By practicing good hygiene, you can avoid tooth decay and various other dental problems.

Also, if you go for regular dental check-ups with braces, your dentist can guide you on brushing and flossing to maintain oral health. You may also recall that your orthodontist would have examined your gums and mouth before placing braces to assess your oral health.

In case of an infection, it is not advisable to work on the teeth. Moreover, if you develop an infection amid an orthodontic procedure, the orthodontist will pause treatment until the infection clears.

Maintaining Oral Hygiene with Braces

Herein you can learn about some oral hygiene measures when you’re wearing braces:

1) Daily Brushing

When you go for dental check-ups with braces, your dentist will advise you to use a small-sized toothbrush as part of your oral hygiene routine. With a small-sized toothbrush, you can clean all areas of your mouth. Although polished nylon brushes are popular among people with braces, your dentist may also recommend specialized brushes with fine edges in some cases.

Furthermore, by using fluoride toothpaste, you can protect your teeth against decay. Besides, if you have braces, your dentist will suggest brushing five times a day. Each brushing session must also last for 5 minutes to ensure thorough cleaning of your gums and mouth.

When it comes to brushing with braces, you must also brush at a 45-degree angle. Here, it is also important that your bristles are pointing toward the gumline for the best results. Ensure you brush the top and bottom parts of the brackets too. It also helps to have a soft toothbrush with round bristles at all times so that you can brush your teeth after every meal.

2) Regular Flossing

When you floss, the food particles trapped in between your teeth loosen and fall out. You must make sure to remove any food particles stuck in your dental fixtures to prevent plaque formation, bacterial build-up, and cavities. Your orthodontist can guide you on the right flossing technique during your dental check-ups with braces.

3) Periodic Dental Check-Ups

By opting for periodic dental check-ups with braces, your dentist can diagnose any developing infections and disorders. You can then start treatment during the early stages while preventing the infection from spreading and causing further damage.

There may even be times that you might not have your small-sized toothbrush after consuming food. In such cases, you can only swish your mouth with water to remove any food particles that are caught between your teeth.

Handy Oral Hygiene Tips

Some tips that may be useful during your braces journey are shared below:

• Avoid sugar-rich foods when you are snacking between meals.
• Opt for healthy snacks when you feel hungry between meals
• Talk to your dentist about how often you must change your toothbrush during your dental check-ups with braces. The general recommendation is to change your toothbrush every 3 months, although your braces can cause the bristles to wear out sooner.

FINAL THOUGHTS

So, we have seen how brushing and flossing can help to maintain oral hygiene. Along with that, you can keep your mouth clear of microbial elements by using an anti-bacterial mouthwash. Swish your mouth with mouthwash for 30 minutes or so before spitting out the water. Go on to rinsing your mouth with plain water and swishing in your mouth for some time, too.

In addition to that, during your dental check-ups with braces, your orthodontist can guide you on how to use a tongue cleaner to refresh your mouth.