Starting orthodontic treatment means you’re on the path to a perfect smile. However, to keep your treatment on track, you need to keep your mouth clean, especially with braces on. If you slack off on cleaning your teeth, food bits may get stuck and cause cavities or build up plaque, which could derail your progress.
Let’s talk about keeping your teeth clean during orthodontic treatment:
With braces, it’s vital to brush after every meal and floss at least once a day. Here’s how:
– Use a soft-bristle toothbrush. If you angle it at 45 degrees, it can reach around the pins or wires of your braces better.
– An interdental brush can help clean between your brackets where a regular toothbrush may struggle.
– Flossing is also key. It’s about the only thing that can reach those areas where food gets stuck, especially those places your brush can’t reach.
A quick guide on flossing:
Grab a piece of floss you can handle easily, loop it around your tooth and scrub at the base of each surface. Go slowly, and make sure to reach the gum tissue. After one side of the tooth, repeat the same on the other side. Then move on to the next tooth.
To make flossing easier, consider:
– A Dental Floss Threader: It’s like a plastic needle and helps you get in between crowded teeth and sweep away plaque and left-behind food.
– Rigid Section Dental Floss: Sections of this floss can be used to buff your teeth between the brackets free of plaque.
Remember, getting your braces off and seeing that perfect smile will be a sweet reward. But during your treatment, taking care of your oral health matters a lot. Overlooking it might only prolong your braces treatment. So, keep at it with a regular cleaning regimen!
Tags: Braces, Dental Floss
