HOW TO BRUSH YOUR TEETH WHILE WEARING BRACES

Brushing with braces is almost similar to the usual brushing we do every day. However, patients with braces must extend the extra time and effort to keep their teeth, wires, and pins of braces free from any food debris. With more nooks to get stuck on, bacteria have more chances to propagate between teeth and wires that can lead to plaque buildup and cavities. 

HELPFUL TIPS FOR BRUSHING YOUR TEETH WHILE WEARING BRACES

It is important to know the proper ways to brush your teeth with braces to prevent any dental problems while in an orthodontic treatment. Here are some tips that can help keep your teeth clean and healthy while your braces do the work in aligning your teeth:

USE THE RIGHT TOOLS

Brushing with braces requires constant care, gentleness, and cleaning tools that can get under the wires. To boost your oral hygiene, you may want to consider having these essentials:

• A manual toothbrush can help you maneuver the speed and gentleness in brushing your teeth. Brushing your braces will require extra care so you won’t damage the wires and prevent the bristles from getting caught in between the wires.

• An interdental brush can help clean the small spaces that need cleaning. These brushes have small brush heads with thin bristles that can get through the wires and clear out plaque and food debris. 

• Fluoride toothpaste helps kill bacteria in your mouth and prevents the development of tooth decay and gum disease.
• Waxed floss is a necessary part of oral hygiene even for those with braces. It may be hard to get it through the wires but with gentle care and patience, it’s doable. Flossing can help remove the stuck debris between your teeth so that it will leave no room for bacteria to grow. 

Above everything else, brushes with small heads and soft bristles make the best option for cleaning teeth with braces. The small toothbrush head can help you clean the hard-to-reach areas of your mouth. Soft bristles, on the other hand, are gentle to the gums and thin enough to get through the tiny spaces between your teeth.

AFTER-MEAL BRUSHING AND BRUSH ANGLES MATTER

Eating with braces makes it easy for food to get stuck on your teeth. Brushing your teeth after meals is a worthwhile chore that you have to embrace while wearing dental braces. Not only does brushing after meals keep your teeth clean but also allows you to smile confidently for the rest of the day. 

Since there are new nooks in your teeth due to your braces, one angle in brushing may not be enough to clean all areas in your mouth. Here are some brushing angles to keep everything clean when brushing your teeth:

• To clean all the surfaces of your braces, brush every tooth upwards to clean the bottom of the braces and downwards to clean the top portion of your braces.
• To kill gum-disease causing bacteria, you must brush your teeth and the tip of your gum line in a 45-degree brushing angle.
• All areas of your teeth must be cleaned including the front, back, and chewing surfaces of your teeth.  
• Don’t forget to brush the cheek side of your mouth and your tongue where most bacteria propagate. 

DON’T RUSH AND TAKE YOUR TIME TO CLEAN YOUR TEETH THOROUGHLY

It may take time to clean your teeth with braces but it will all be worth it once your braces treatment is done. Imagine having white and perfectly aligned teeth after the grueling brushing routine and painful braces adjustments. Talk about self-care!

If time constraints prevent you from brushing your teeth after meals, make sure to rinse your mouth with water or, better yet, saltwater for an antibacterial rinse. 

To ensure that your teeth are getting the right oral care it needs, you may visit us at Dr. Roy Jennings Dentistry in Monroe for a routine dental checkup. Early prevention is the key to having healthy teeth and gums. Contact us now for preventive oral care.