Check Out These Braces’ Tools To Keep Your Smile Healthy!

Caring for your teeth and gums is important for maintaining a healthy, lovely smile. It’s crucial to remove harmful plaque daily to prevent damage to your teeth and gums. Plaque, a sticky film consisting of bacteria, food particles, and saliva, accumulates around the teeth and along the gum line and hardens quickly. When you wear braces, this trapped plaque buildup can cause swollen gums, cavities, bad breath, and permanent tooth stains. To prevent these issues, make sure to brush and floss every day to remove plaque before it hardens.

Cleaning Teeth in Braces

Cleaning around your braces can be tricky because their additional components create more spaces where food can get stuck. However, with the right tools, you can effectively prevent this! It’s especially important to remove plaque buildup around braces and brackets to prevent tooth decay and gum inflammation.

Pay close attention to any cracks and crevices, both between your teeth and around the brackets and wires of your braces. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and replace it promptly when the bristles start to wear out. It’s best to use fluoride toothpaste to protect your tooth enamel. Avoid using tooth whitening toothpaste because it can’t whiten behind your braces brackets, which may lead to uneven coloring when your braces are removed.

Brush your teeth carefully and gently, using circular movement to avoid damaging your wires or brackets. Clean all surfaces at least twice a day to ensure they are completely spotless.

• All the parts of your braces
• All tooth surfaces (tops, sides, front and back)
• All around the gums, tongue, and roof of your mouth

Next, make sure to floss, ideally before bedtime, so you can take your time. Use a floss threader, a reusable tool that helps you clean below the archwire and along the gum line. Additionally, rinse thoroughly with mouthwash to help remove any remaining oral debris.

Orthodontic Hygiene Tools

To better help you maintain healthy teeth with braces, you might want to try these effective oral hygiene tools:

• Get yourself a toothbrush and toothpaste that you enjoy using. Whether it’s a manual toothbrush or a powered one with an ortho brush head, make sure it can clean around your braces’ cracks and crevices. The gentle oscillating movement is kind to your gums, effectively cleans wires and brackets, and even provides a gentle gum massage.
• Pack a compact toothbrush, toothpaste, and mouthwash that you can easily carry in your backpack, pocket, or purse. This way, you can clean your teeth after meals, even when you’re away from home.
• Stock up on waxed floss threaders, super floss, or dental picks because they can reach under the wires for effective cleaning.
• Consider adding a proxabrush to your dental care routine. This small brush features cone-shaped bristles that efficiently clean difficult-to-access areas around your braces.
• Invest in a Waterpik or a similar water flossing tool for effective oral hygiene. These tools work by directing a stream of water to easily clean between your teeth, and they may include orthodontic tips for added convenience.
• Use a quality mouthwash (preferably with fluoride) to eliminate bacteria lurking in crevices and to strengthen your tooth enamel.
• Wear a mouthguard when participating in contact sports or recreational activities to safeguard your face, mouth, and braces’ hardware.
• Use orthodontic dental wax on your braces as necessary to shield sensitive oral tissues.
• Let us know if you experience any issues with your braces’ wires or brackets so we can promptly address any problems.

Don’t forget to attend all your scheduled dental cleanings and checkups. These appointments are crucial for maintaining your daily oral hygiene and ensuring your teeth look their best when your braces are removed. As always, we are pleased to recommend excellent products to support your orthodontic journey, so feel free to call and learn more. You deserve a healthy, beautiful smile!