While the braces do its duty, it is crucial that you do yours to make sure you get the best outcome from the procedure. Here are some tips for you to take care of your teeth and gum while wearing braces. Read below on tips on taking care of braces.
This is the first and most important tip to maintain good oral hygiene. With the wires and brackets imposed on your teeth, food particles can get stuck in between your teeth and braces very easily. The best thing to do is brushing your teeth after every meal to reduce the chances of bacterial build-up and plaque in your teeth and gums. You should also rinse your mouth with water to help remove dirt.
It is equally important to floss your teeth. You should also get a floss threader to aid in your flossing process. It is crucial to be gentle and thorough when flossing. You should be able to hear a “pop” sound as you floss each teeth.
Getting the right toothbrush is essential when you have braces on. You need to get a toothbrush that is strong enough to detach stubborn food particles yet soft enough not to cause gum bleeding. We recommend an electric toothbrush.
Since there is a higher chance of plaque being stuck with braces, an electric toothbrush has an enhanced mechanism to remove bacteria. This decreases the likelihood of gum disease and tartar build-up in the teeth and maintains good dental hygiene.
While having a good brush is necessary, your brushing technique also places a significant role in your oral health. You should start by brushing at your gum line while holding your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle towards your gums. Once you’ve cleaned your gum line, keep your toothbrush at a downward angle on the peak of your brackets, and then at an upward angle to clean the area around your brackets.
It is also important to note that the duration of brushing your teeth also plays a part. It is recommended to brush your teeth for at least two minutes each time and to brush every part of it, as far as possible.
Lastly, it is recommended for you to avoid some kinds of food that take a lot of chewing and biting. Foods that are chewy, sticky, crunchy or hard should be strayed away from. Eating these foods may not solely damage your braces but make brushing and flossing difficult. Stick to softer food that it easily chewed and swallowed to prevent any trouble with your braces.
It also enhanced eating food in bite-sized pieces. Getting used to the metal wires in your mouth may take some time. Eating in smaller pieces helps decrease your chances of stretching out the rubber in your braces and prevents food from getting stuck in your teeth.
As you have read, routine personal hygiene is very crucial for taking care of braces. It sounds fundamental but brushing and flossing your teeth at least twice a day can curb many orthodontic problems like gum disease and tooth decay. If you do rough exercise or sports, you may need to get a mouth guard to protect your teeth and braces.
Nuffield Dental is a one-stop, multi-disciplinary dental care centre. Here at Nuffield Dental, we pride ourselves of our personalised oral care for each one of our patients. We need to make sure you get all the help you need to make your dental procedures comfortable, accessible and seamless.
Our dentists have been accredited in implant dentistry and oral surgery for 20+ years. We have accredited dental provider who are skilled in the area of dental implant surgery. For your convenience, we have clinics all around Singapore to meet your needs closer to you. For information, please visit our clinic to book an appointment.