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Braces are one of the most commonly used types of orthodontics used. However, because of the way they sit on the teeth, there is a possibility of twice as much plaque building up unless you improve your oral care routine. Our Southwood Dental Studio - Highbury dentists explain how to go about brushing your teeth when you have braces in an effective manner.
Brush at a 45-Degree angle
You should always follow a 45-degree angle rule while brushing your braces. Ensuring that you brush the bottom teeth at an upward angle to get under the groove of the bracket, and the top teeth slightly downwards to go under the groove of the bracket as well. Food will become caught on the sides of your braces and in between your cheek and teeth the majority of the time. Develop the practice of cleaning your teeth after meals with a toothpick or floss. This should make brushing less difficult.
Think of your braces as a part of your teeth
Do not let plaque accumulate in the areas next to the brackets, as this may result in discolouration of the tooth or cavities in the spaces between teeth.
Your brackets and cables will create additional crevices for bacteria to settle in and proliferate in as a result of your installation. Prevent this by including a daily brushing practice after each meal in your eating schedule.
Flossing is still possible when wearing braces. However, there are other types of floss out there that will make flossing while wearing braces much easier. You may also require a toothbrush with stiffer bristles in order to avoid the bristles becoming trapped in or damaged by your brackets.
Make healthy food choices
when you make healthier food choices you can help to avoid extra plaque buildup in the mouth. When you wear braces, you don't have to substantially alter your diet, but we recommend avoiding items that make it more difficult to keep your teeth clean. Corn kernels, licorice, gummy candy, jerky, and taffy, to name a few things, will become trapped in your braces more easily than healthier meal choices would.
When you don't have to worry about these unhealthy sticky foods it will help your regular brushing routine to be much easier. To find out which meals you should avoid, talk to your orthodontist about what you should and shouldn't eat.
Take your time
The minimum amount of time that you should be taking to clean your teeth each day is 2 full minutes. You can try using a proxabrush if you're having problems reaching all of the surfaces of your teeth because of the wires and braces in your mouth. Because of its small size and flexibility, it may be used to clean under and around braces and other orthodontic appliances.
Rinse your mouth often
If you have any removable parts to your braces then you should remove these parts prior to rinsing and store them safely. After that, take a cup and fill it halfway with water before rinsing your mouth out with the water. Food particles and other things can be freed by swishing a small amount of water around the inside of your mouth.