It is important to look after your teeth in general, but it is especially important if you have braces, in the profession, this is more commonly-known as orthodontics and dental treatment is performed by an orthodontist. If you are in the UK, a recommended orthodontist called Vida, is based in Fareham near Portsmouth.
Our mouths are completely unique and no one is alike, this means that normally some areas of the teeth are harder to reach. Braces further complicate this and create a constantly changing mouth, as well as new grooves and spaces for plaque and bacteria to hide. In this article, we will go through some of the things you should be aware of to help you keep your teeth clean whilst wearing braces.
Foods to avoid
In general, you should avoid sugary foods, as these are one of the main causes of plaque and bacteria in the mouth, it is also important to avoid especially sticky foods that may get caught underneath your braces.
Very hard foods should also be avoided to prevent the risk of your braces being damaged, this will also be beneficial as many people experience some sensitivity issues when wearing braces.
Brushing
Brushing is the first step in any oral hygiene regime and is especially important to people that have braces to adapt the way they brush to the changing shape of their mouths. Certain attention must be paid to areas that you may not have focused on as much as before, so it is important to keep an eye on new areas that may cause problems.
The wires used in braces sit on the teeth and this creates areas that may cause problems with cavities if not attended to properly, it is so important to treat braces as if they were actually your teeth. Many people experience issues with cavities when their braces are removed so it is important to keep your teeth and your braces clean.
Fluoride
Fluoride is in the water supplies of many countries around the world to specifically help people maintain their teeth, so drinking water is a good idea. Water also has the benefit of rinsing the mouth of residual food, bacteria, and plaque.
Other specialty dental products contain fluoride also and things like fluoride rinses are great for reaching hard to reach places in the mouth that have been caused by braces.
Flossing
This becomes more challenging for those with braces, it may even be thought of as more important. Many people buy small disposable brushes in order to clean the spaces between their braces, this can be combined with using regular floss.
