Keeping your pearly whites clean and healthy can be a challenge if you have braces. Braces prevent you from biting on anything hard, like raw carrots or apples. You need to be extra cautious while brushing to avoid food particles staying in between your gums and teeth, which can lead to dental decay or gum disease. That’s why it is imperative to follow some simple steps to keep your oral health in check with braces. Braces are small devices that are fitted over the teeth to straighten them. They have been around for centuries, but new innovations and materials used in making them make them more comfortable than ever before.
Start by holding the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle and gently brushing along the gum line. Next, shift the angle of the toothbrush so that you can carefully brush the tops of your brackets. Then, reposition the toothbrush to angle up so that you can brush under the brackets and wire. Be sure to clean each tooth.
Brush your teeth twice daily – use Waterpik
Brushing your teeth twice a day is a good way to prevent bacterial build-up that can lead to tooth decay. While you have braces, you have to be extra careful with brushing, as your braces prevent you from biting on anything hard. This means that you need to be extra gentle while brushing your teeth with braces to avoid damaging them. We recommend using a soft toothbrush with a small head to brush your teeth with braces.
Brush your teeth once in the morning after waking up and once before going to bed. You should also brush your teeth after you consume a beverage or food that has a high sugar content or is highly acidic. By brushing your teeth after having something sweet or caffeinated, you help reduce the number of bacteria that can accumulate on your teeth.
Floss after brushing teeth with braces
While brushing your teeth, it’s also important to clean between your teeth and gums to prevent bacteria from building up. While it may be difficult to floss between your teeth with braces, it is possible with the help of a special floss threader. Using a floss threader is similar to how you would thread a needle.
The only difference is that you have to place the threader in between your teeth and then pull it toward you, to clean the gum line. You can also use a special interdental cleaning tool that makes it easier to clean your teeth. Although it might be a bit difficult to clean between your teeth while wearing braces, it is possible with a little effort and patience.
Avoid sticky and chewy foods
While you have braces, avoid sticky and chewy foods, as these can easily get stuck in between your teeth and braces. You can try eating dry cereals, crackers, and sandwiches without the mayo or jam in between your teeth to help prevent food from getting stuck. Foods that are sticky and chewy need to be thoroughly chewed properly, or they can easily get stuck in your braces.
When this happens, the food is at risk of getting stuck in your mouth, causing irritation and even infection, or getting caught on your braces, causing damage. If you want to loosen food particles stuck in between your teeth and braces, you can use a soft toothbrush or an interdental cleaning tool.
Use a tongue scraper to clean your tongue
The tongue is an organ that is home to millions of bacteria that, when left untreated, can cause bad breath and lead to gum disease. While you have braces, you need to clean your tongue regularly to avoid bad breath and dental decay. To clean your tongue, you can use a tongue scraper.
A tongue scraper is a simple yet highly effective tool that is used to remove bacteria and build-up from the surface of the tongue. It is a great way to improve your oral health without having to visit a dentist. While you have braces, it is essential to brush and clean your tongue regularly. Otherwise, bacteria that grow on the surface of your tongue can get transferred to your braces and cause dental decay.
Wash your braces with baking soda and use Waterpik
Braces are not easy to clean, especially because you can’t use any kind of liquid or soap to clean them. Luckily, a simple baking soda and water solution can help clean your braces. Baking soda is a gentle abrasive that can help clean your braces.
You can make a simple solution by mixing 2 tablespoons of baking soda with 8 ounces of water. After brushing your teeth, as usual, dip a clean cloth in the baking soda and water solution and then gently clean your braces. Use a soft toothbrush to finish cleaning your braces.
To avoid plaque, brushing at least 2-3 times a day is essential. You also need to make sure you brush properly – brushing your teeth and braces should take at least 4-5 minutes each time you do it. Poor brushing results in permanent decalcification, which can leave permanent marks on your teeth.
Conclusion
Brushing teeth with braces isn’t too different than brushing without braces. It’s still important to brush twice a day for at least two minutes, and if possible brush after every meal to remove loose food from under brackets and wires. Braces are an excellent way to improve your smile and self-confidence. However, you have to be extra careful while brushing them since they are delicate. Follow these tips to keep your oral health in check while wearing braces.
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