You’re on your way to having perfect teeth, so poor oral hygiene can’t be an option. You may not realise it, but having braces requires that little bit more extra care when cleaning your teeth. The standard day and night rule still applies – although brushing between meals would also help in the long run. Your teeth need to be kept extra clean, as poor oral hygiene can lead to tartar and plaque building up. This could lead to an unpleasant infection, or even worse tooth decay.
Braces can be a ground for plaque
Tooth decay is where the enamel starts to wear away from your teeth. Flossing between each tooth can help to reduce this. Even though you have braces, you still need to learn how to clean your teeth with braces on. The last thing you would want is your braces having to be removed mid-treatment because of too much plaque, and bacteria that has built up around them. It would interrupt your treatment and could cause a lot of problems later on.
Keep in mind the nice smile you want at the end
Bear in mind that you want a nice smile, so wearing the braces will help work towards this goal. Keeping your teeth clean, and regularly attending appointments with your dentist will help with oral hygiene. This is so that at the end of your treatment, you will be left with teeth that are pearly white and healthy.
Hold back on certain foods
There are some things which your orthodontist may ask you to avoid whilst undergoing treatment, such as:
- Chewing gum
- Eating any hard foods like carrots and apples
- Toffee and chocolate
- Fizzy drinks
Avoiding these types of foods will reduce the chances of both tooth decay and gum disease. Brush the brackets on your teeth, behind your teeth and underneath as thoroughly as possible. You can use either a manual toothbrush or an electric one for this. If you are wearing aligners like those used for Invisalign®, you should get a cleanser or solution to soak these in to remove any lingering bacteria.
Oldham Orthodontics are able to provide both traditional braces and Invisalign® (clear aligners) to patients who would like straighter teeth. They can also provide you with professional advice, to help keep your teeth in a healthy condition during treatment. For more information you can call them on 0161 622 0987.