How to take care of your teeth when you have braces

Braces are a wonderful way to straighten your teeth and improve your smile. However, taking care of your teeth can be a little more complicated when you have braces on. For example, food can easily become trapped in your braces, and this food can become plaque, which in turn can cause cavities. Because of this, it’s important to take extra care of your teeth if you have braces. This includes brushing your teeth with extra care.

In this post, we’ll talk more about how to look after your teeth if you have braces. We’ll be discussing four aspects of oral hygiene care as they relate to braces: brushing, flossing, dental visits and your diet. So let’s go!

Brushing

If you have braces, then it’s important to brush your teeth thoroughly. Brushing removes any food or plaque that is left stuck between your braces and your teeth. So make sure to clean in all the nooks and crannies of your braces – and don’t miss anything because bits of leftover food can lead to plaque.

What kind of toothbrush do you need if you have braces? In general, you want a toothbrush with a small head so you can get into all those hard-to-reach places. Some companies sell special toothbrushes and toothbrush heads designed for people with braces. For example, Oral-B sells an electric toothbrush head called the Ortho Brush Head which is specially designed to remove plaque from around brackets.

Flossing

Flossing is more difficult with braces because the braces get in the way. In fact, it’s almost impossible to floss the gum-line, for example, because the floss simply can’t past the braces.

But don’t despair, because they are special floss products designed for people with braces. One example is the floss threader. This is basically a disposable loop which helps you to floss your gum line. If you’re interested in how a floss threader works, we recommend watching this short but informative YouTube video.

Dental visits

As your braces treatment progresses, you’ll need to see your orthodontist regularly so that he or she can adjust the braces. Don’t be afraid to ask any questions or voice any concerns during these visits, especially if you’ve had any problems or difficulties with your braces.

Your routine dental check-ups are also still important when you have braces. In fact, they’re more important than ever, since your risk of cavities and gum disease are higher when you have braces on. So make sure you still visit your general dentist every six months for a check-up.

Diet

Your diet has a major effect on the health of your teeth: if you eat lots of sugar and sugary foods, then you’re more likely to suffer from plaque and cavities. This is especially important to know if you have braces because food is more likely to get stuck to your teeth and cause plaque.

A good way to protect your teeth when you have braces is to limit the amount of sugar you eat. Avoid sugary foods as much as possible, limiting them to mealtimes if you have to eat them at all.

Conclusion

Hopefully, you’ve now more confident about taking care of your teeth with braces. Remember: brush well, be careful with what you eat, and see your dentist regularly.