Cleaning Your Braces and Teeth Properly

Cleaning Your Braces and Teeth ProperlyTooth care is a crucial part of orthodontic health. Orthodontics uses braces to align the teeth, straighten them and help reposition them. Braces bring in a beautiful smile and must be taken care of to reduce the risk of cavities, plaque buildup, or gum disease that could interfere with your treatment.

Braces act as a physical barrier when cleaning your teeth. Brackets and wires may trap food debris, creating unsightly white spots and making it harder to clean teeth. Plaque stains teeth and wears away tooth enamel leading to tooth decay. Establishing a strict cleaning routine will be worth your while and easier along the way. Here are a few tips on tooth hygiene and care while wearing metal braces.

Brush After Every Meal

Brackets and wires trap food debris, and brushing them frequently is recommended to prevent plaque formation. Brushing thrice daily, an hour after mealtime and before you retire to bed, is essential. Before brushing, ensure you rinse your mouth for about 30 seconds with water to remove any food debris stuck between your braces. It is also good to thoroughly rinse your toothbrush before adding toothpaste to remove any bacteria or debris that might have been left from your previous brushing.

Always carry a toothbrush and toothpaste when traveling. When you don’t have a brush, its’ good to rinse the mouth for 30 seconds with water. Foods like oranges and sports drinks soften the tooth enamel, so one needs to wait 30 -60 minutes before brushing.

Use The Right Toothbrush

Ensure your toothbrush is the right shape and fit for your mouth so that it can easily reach all the corners of your mouth.

A brush with soft bristles is the best to avoid irritation of the gums. Clean the top of the teeth and between the brackets. Avoid using tough bristles since they may loosen the braces. Interdental or spindle brushes help remove food debris between your teeth and the tiny spaces under wires and brackets.

Brush for two minutes at a 45-degree angle with your bristles facing down on the gum lines, using circular motions. It is advisable to swap to an electric toothbrush. Hold your electric toothbrush on each tooth toward the gums, and do not use scrubbing motions; just allow the brush to do its work.

Brush all sides of the mouth, inner and outer sides, go on for two minutes, and do not forget to brush above and below your braces and on your chewing surfaces.

Keep replacing the toothbrush once it shows signs of wear. A worn-out toothbrush might not be able to remove food debris, bacteria, and plaque efficiently. Frayed toothbrushes should be replaced every three months.

Rinse your mouth with water after every meal to remove any food particles stuck in the braces. If you don’t have time to brush after any bite, rinse the mouth for 30 seconds with water to remove food debris.

Avoid Too Much Toothpaste

Use the right toothpaste, like one with fluoride, to keep your teeth strong and prevent plaque accumulation. Since braces make teeth sensitive, use sensitivity-formulated fluoride toothpaste. Too much toothpaste forms paste in the mouth, preventing you from seeing the plaque and debris. First, use a wet toothbrush, then add a small amount of toothpaste (pea size).

Use A Floss Threader or a Waterpik

Tie dental floss to a threader as an easier way to glide through the wires and brackets using slow motion to eliminate plaque and food debris.

Waterpik is a device that shoots a jet or stream of water at your teeth to remove food particles between your teeth. It helps remove food debris and might help reduce bleeding gums, bacteria, and gum disease. It is an easy, quick way to floss. These special tools may help clean the food particles around the brackets and the wires, but they should not replace flossing or brushing.

Use Mouthwash at Night

Reduce tooth decay and protect the enamel by using an anti-cavity fluoride mouthwash. Rinse for one minute, then look in the mirror to see if some places have been left uncleaned. You can also use mouthwash four times a day to help prevent inflammation of the gums and tooth decay and to get rid of bad breath.

Use a mouthwash with chlorhexidine (recommended by dentists) and avoid those containing alcohol since it dries out the mouth and can cause bad breath. Mouthwash should not be substituted for flossing or brushing.

Avoid Certain Foods

Sugary treats like candies and acidic foods like vinegar and citrus fruits damage the teeth. Sticky foods like gum, nuts, popcorn, ice, corn chips, gummy bears, licorice, and caramel are not easy to clean. They can lead to cavities which cause pain and increase sensitivity. Beef jerky, pizza crusts, corn on the cob, apples, and carrots can bend wires or damage your braces.

Since they could damage your brackets, you should also avoid biting or chewing hard objects such as toothpicks, nail-biting, straws, pencils or pens.

Brush Your Tongue

Brushing your tongue is essential because it can keep bacteria and cause bad breath. It is important to remove bacteria before they hide in between the metals, wires, and teeth. Brush your tongue and soft palate using gentle back-and-forth scrubbing motions.

Other Alternatives

Gargle with salted water to reduce inflammation, keep your teeth clean and reduce pain and soreness. Salted water can help keep your mouth healthy, especially after your braces are first applied.

In cases where you might forget toothpaste, coconut oil is a good alternative. It has a bacteria-fighting element and also fights tooth decay. Baking soda can also be used by mixing with water to make a paste that helps to clean the teeth.

Attend Dental and Orthopedic Appointments Regularly

Your orthodontist will check on your progress, change elastics and adjust wires, check your teeth and whether anything needs to be done, and you will also have a chance to ask questions. Visit your orthodontist as often as they suggest.

Your dentist will clean your teeth to remove plaque and tartar buildup that can lead to cavities and keep the teeth free of stains when the braces are finally removed. Visit your dentist at least after every six months.

Keeping your teeth and braces clean and healthy is crucial because it enables you to reap the best results of your orthodontic treatment. Maintaining oral health can keep your teeth healthy and bright after being removed. For more information please contact Bracify 3D Orthodontics.

About The Author

doctormmdev

Blog Posts

Maintaining Braces for Children: A Comprehensive Guide to Oral Care

For many children, braces are a big part of growing up. While few children enjoy having them, the advantages of getting braces are often very obvious, especially later on

Read More

Clear Aligner Therapy

Do you have crooked or crowded teeth, or perhaps an overbite but don’t want to wear braces? Clear aligner therapy might be the right solution for you. Similar to

Read More

Prioritizing Dental Hygiene for a Healthy Smile with Braces

Maintaining good dental hygiene is crucial for overall oral health, especially when wearing braces. We understand the significance of proper oral care during orthodontic treatment. In this blog post,

Read More

The Link Between Digestive Problems and Crooked Teeth

While most people associate misaligned (“crooked”) teeth with detracting from appearance, misaligned teeth (malocclusion) can also negatively impact chewing. Issues with chewing can result in reduced nutritional intake and

Read More
Read All Our Blogs

Follow Us on Instagram

Maintaining Braces for Children: A Comprehensive Guide to Oral Care

Maintaining Braces for Children: A Comprehensive Guide to Oral CareFor many children, braces are a big part of growing up. While few children enjoy having them, the advantages of getting braces are often very obvious, especially later on in life.

American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) has found that braces help align teeth that are too far apart, too close, or too crooked. They can also help overbites and under-bites.

Importance of Proper Maintenance for Braces

If your child wants to fully enjoy the advantages that braces can offer, he or she will need to take the time to maintain them properly. They will be more comfortable and more effective if they are maintained properly. Your child may also be able to take them off sooner if he or she maintains them well.

Brushing and Flossing with Braces

Your child needs to have top-notch dental hygiene if he or she is going to get braces. It is important that your child pays close attention to caring for the teeth and gums.

Choosing the Right Dental Hygiene Routine

Your child needs to floss at least once a day and brush their teeth twice a day. Also, your child should be gentle when they brush or floss to avoid damaging the brackets or wires. Your child should use a toothbrush that possesses soft bristles to brush their teeth. Any toothpaste with fluoride is fine for your child to use.

Proper Flossing Techniques

Have your child floss after meals to get rid of the food particles that get stuck between the wiring, the brackets, and the teeth. Food particles are more likely to accumulate and lead to the buildup of plaque among those who wear them. Your child needs to be gentle when flossing to ensure they don’t damage them. Your child should position the floss between the wire of the braces and the tooth. Then your child should work the floss between the tooth and the braces slowly.

Foods to Avoid with Braces

Chances are, your child’s orthodontist has given you an entire list of foods and beverages your child should avoid. The best rule of thumb is to avoid chewy, sticky, and hard foods. Some examples of such foods include gummy candy and caramel candy. Hard pretzels and popcorn can also get stuck or cause the braces to snap whenever your child takes a bite.
You should watch out for anything your child puts in their mouth. For example, biting pens or biting nails can cause significant damage to braces. Your child should not chew on ice or other hard objects.

Protecting Braces During Physical Activities

Even if your child wears braces, he or she can still play a sport. However, your child will likely need to wear a mouthguard to ensure their teeth are not damaged during games or practice. Your child should have a mouthguard on both the top and bottom teeth. Also, your child should have a dentist make a custom mouthguard for a good fit.

Achieving a Beautiful and Improved Smile

If your child has braces, they will need to pay far more attention to their mouth than they normally do. While the extra effort may be bothersome, the results will be worthwhile. Encourage your child to do their best to achieve a beautiful and improved smile.

For more information, feel free to contact Bracify 3D Orthodontics today!

Clear Aligner Therapy

Clear Aligner TherapyDo you have crooked or crowded teeth, or perhaps an overbite but don’t want to wear braces? Clear aligner therapy might be the right solution for you. Similar to traditional braces, clear aligner therapy works to gradually move teeth discreetly with virtually invisible appliances.

What is clear aligner therapy?

Clear aligner therapy refers to an orthodontic alternative to traditional braces where the patient wears a series of custom-made clear plastic aligners that gently and gradually move their teeth into proper alignment. The goal of clear aligner therapy is to help the patient achieve a healthy bite where the top and bottom teeth properly align, function, and fit together.

Clear aligners are great for those who have crooked teeth, crowded teeth, gaps, overbites, underbites, open bite, or even crossbites. However, it is important to note that even though clear aligners can treat a variety of orthodontic conditions, it may not be the best treatment option for everyone.

There are many orthodontic teeth-straightening treatments available. The most recognized is traditional metal braces that use wires and brackets to move your teeth. Traditional braces can be painful, uncomfortable, and put limitations on diet, which makes clear aligners an appealing alternative to many patients.

Some of the benefits of clear aligner therapy include:

  • They are custom made to fit the patient’s teeth
  • They are removable
  • They are easier to keep teeth and gums clean and healthy
  • They are clear and discreet
  • They are less likely to irritate your gums and cheeks
  • They can help prevent wear on teeth from tooth grinding

How does it work?

Clear aligners work like any other orthodontic appliance where pressure is applied to the teeth, gradually moving them and reshaping the supporting soft tissue and bones.

An orthodontist will conduct a full dental exam of the patient’s mouth to assess the most appropriate treatment option. This exam may include digital scans, photographs, impressions, and x-rays. After the orthodontist concludes that clear aligner therapy is a suitable option, a series of clear plastic aligners are created specifically for the patient’s dental goals and lifestyle needs.

The aligners apply gentle pressure to the periodontal ligaments that surround each tooth, and as the pressure is applied, the blood vessels expand and contract along the tooth. This reaction causes chemical signals to be sent so that the body can adjust to the tooth’s new position and rebuild the tooth’s structure and support system so that it can remain in position. Once your tooth is completely rebuilt and adjusted to the new position, it is time to switch to the next aligner for more adjustments.

The length of treatment can also vary depending on what the patient’s goals are and the condition of their teeth. Your orthodontist will be able to give you a better estimate of how long treatment will take once your doctor has customized your treatment plan.

Generally, aligners are changed every 2 weeks to gradually move the teeth. The total number of aligners can vary from patient to patient, though on average patients can go through anywhere from 20-30 aligners during treatment.

Unlike traditional braces, clear aligners put the treatment’s effectiveness on the patient’s shoulders as the patient is responsible for wearing the aligner constantly. For the treatment to work properly, aligners should be worn for at least 22 hours each day unless otherwise instructed. Patients should remove the aligner to eat, drink, brush, and floss their teeth only. Otherwise, they should be worn night and day.

If you are interested in clear aligner therapy and wonder if it is right for you, schedule a consultation with Bracify 3D Orthodontics today.

Prioritizing Dental Hygiene for a Healthy Smile with Braces

Prioritizing Dental Hygiene for a Healthy Smile with BracesMaintaining good dental hygiene is crucial for overall oral health, especially when wearing braces. We understand the significance of proper oral care during orthodontic treatment.

In this blog post, we will discuss the importance of dental hygiene for individuals with braces and provide valuable tips to ensure a healthy and beautiful smile throughout their orthodontic journey.

Understanding the Impact of Braces on Oral Health:

  • Complexity of Cleaning: Braces create intricate structures with brackets, wires, and elastic bands, making it challenging to clean thoroughly. This complexity leads to an increased risk of plaque buildup and oral health issues if not addressed.

  • Increased Risk of Tooth Decay: The presence of braces creates additional surfaces where food particles and plaque can accumulate. Failing to maintain proper dental hygiene can result in tooth decay, enamel demineralization, and white spots on teeth.

  • Potential for Gum Disease: Poor oral hygiene during braces treatment can contribute to gum inflammation, gingivitis, and periodontal disease. It is crucial to prevent plaque and bacteria buildup to safeguard gum health.

Essential Dental Hygiene Practices for Brace Wearers:

  • Effective Brushing Techniques: Proper brushing is vital for individuals with braces. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and angle it towards the gum line, cleaning above and below the brackets. Thoroughly brush the spaces between brackets and wires to remove plaque and food particles.

  • Flossing with Care: Flossing becomes more challenging with braces, but it remains essential. Utilize orthodontic floss threaders or interdental brushes to reach tight spaces and clean between teeth and underwires.

  • Utilize Mouthwash and Fluoride Rinse: Incorporating an antibacterial mouthwash into your oral hygiene routine helps eliminate bacteria and freshen your breath. Additionally, using a fluoride rinse strengthens tooth enamel and protects against decay.

  • Regular Dental Check-ups: Routine visits are crucial during orthodontic treatment. Our experienced professionals can identify emerging issues, provide professional cleanings, and ensure your braces are functioning correctly.

Diet and Oral Hygiene:

  • Avoid Sticky and Hard Foods: Sticky or hard foods can damage braces and make oral hygiene more difficult. Minimize consumption of caramel, taffy, popcorn, and chewing gum, as they can become trapped and cause problems.

  • Limit Sugary and Acidic Foods: Sugary snacks, sodas, and citrus fruits promote bacterial growth and enamel erosion. Reducing their intake helps maintain good oral health during braces treatment.

Maintaining Oral Hygiene on the Go:

  • Portable Oral Care Tools: Keep a travel-sized toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss in your bag. This allows you to maintain oral hygiene even when away from home.

  • Water Rinse: If brushing is not possible, rinsing your mouth with water after meals can help dislodge food particles and reduce the risk of plaque buildup.

We emphasize the significance of dental hygiene for individuals wearing braces. By following proper oral care practices, such as thorough brushing, diligent flossing, and a healthy diet, you can ensure a successful orthodontic journey. Regular visits to our experienced team will ensure the progress of your treatment and address any concerns promptly. Please contact Bracify 3D Orthodontics to provide comprehensive dental care and support you in achieving a healthy and beautiful smile while wearing braces.

The Link Between Digestive Problems and Crooked Teeth

The Link Between Digestive Problems and Crooked TeethWhile most people associate misaligned (“crooked”) teeth with detracting from appearance, misaligned teeth (malocclusion) can also negatively impact chewing. Issues with chewing can result in reduced nutritional intake and poor health. This is a major reason why it’s important for parents to have their children’s teeth examined by a dentist while still very young and take the proper steps to correct any malocclusion problems as soon as possible. For adults, it’s never too late to have teeth straightened – especially as it can improve digestive health in addition to dramatically improving facial appearance.

THE IMPORTANT ROLE OF TEETH IN GOOD DIGESTION

We usually think of digestion as beginning in the stomach and moving on through the rest of the digestive tract, but the process actually begins in the mouth: saliva and teeth grind to break down food, allowing the nutrients it contains to be fully processed and absorbed by the intestines.

Furthermore, human teeth are designed for performing different functions of chewing: our sharpest teeth, the incisors, for biting pieces of food and moving it back to the mouth. Just behind the incisors are the canine teeth, with longer roots, which also aid in tearing and holding food.

The molars immediately follow and, with their flatter surfaces, are responsible for grinding and breaking down the food, at which point it is sent down to the esophagus and from there down into the stomach and the rest of the digestive tract.

How you chew food is as important as the food itself: you can be making healthy food choices but if you aren’t able to take advantage of them by chewing properly, you can lose a lot of precious nutrients. This can negatively impact your immune system and your overall health.

PROBLEMS CAUSED BY TMJ

If temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ) is present, often shows up as pain that occurs with jaw movements, such as facial pain, headaches, or a bite that is uncomfortable, which will make it difficult to chew normally. In such cases, we may recommend dental guards, surgery, or dental implants, which closely resemble the natural teeth in appearance and function, and are inserted into the bony area of the jaw.

HOW AN ORTHODONTIST CAN HELP

Patients who have been referred to Bracify 3D Orthodontics for care are in need of a specialist in treating patients with misaligned tooth problems. After taking dental x-rays and making an impression of the teeth with a moldable material, we will usually determine a plan of treatment most appropriate for the specific condition.

For some patients, all that may be needed will be a retainer to stabilize teeth in the desired new position to correct the problem. If overcrowding is present, one or more teeth may have to be removed to allow those remaining to be re-positioned for better alignment. In other cases, braces, such as Invisalign, will also be necessary to correct misalignment issues, as determined by Bracify 3D Orthodontics. Please contact us for more information today!

Accessibility by WAH
Call Us Text Us