Caring for Metal Braces
It’s essential to develop a healthy oral hygiene routine along with a proper diet while in braces. Here are some tips:
1. Choose the Proper Toothbrush, Toothpaste & Floss
Your orthodontist, dentist or dental hygienist will provide information for the proper dental tools to use daily eliminate bacteria that can lead to cavities, gum disease, or halitosis (bad breath). When you are selecting floss, you must choose a type that will fit between your teeth and along the wires of the brackets. A Waterpick and a power toothbrush will help you clean your teeth more efficiently too!
2. Brush Your Teeth As Often As You Can to Remove Food and Beverage debris
Use a toothbrush that has softer bristles that won’t harm your braces. It is also important to use gentle pressure while brushing your teeth. Follow these steps while brushing to have a sparkling smile and to protect your braces:
- Rinse your mouth with water to remove loose food debris - Angle the toothbrush along the gums to remove the food that collects in this area - Use the angled motion again while brushing away food from the top of the brackets - Angle the toothbrush against the bottom of the brackets to brush upward - Brush every tooth in your mouth on both the cheek and tongue sides to remove bacteria - Throughout the day, rinse your mouth with water to remove additional food that collects in your teeth and braces while you are eating snacks or meals.
3. Floss at Least Once a Day
Floss at least once a day. Flossing the right way with braces can prevent problems such as tooth decay and bad breath. Use this method to floss your teeth correctly:
- Use floss picks or floss thread - Use a long section of flossing thread to reach the back teeth in your mouth - Stand in front of a mirror while flossing - Use your fingers to slip the floss between your teeth or under the wires - Don’t pull on the floss while it is underneath a wire - Change to a new section of floss or a floss pick if it is covered with debris - Focus on cleaning food debris from the gum area to prevent gingivitis - Rinse your mouth thoroughly after flossing to remove the loose debris - Carry floss or softpicks with you during the day to remove any food that becomes stuck between your teeth or on your braces.
4. Use an Oral Irrigator (Waterpick) to Clean Your Teeth and Braces
To remove additional plaque and food particles from your mouth, you should invest in an oral irrigator. This is a small appliance that sits on a bathroom’s countertop so that you can fill its tank with fresh water before using it. A wand will emit the water from the water irrigator’s tank with a moderate pressure that will dislodge food, bacteria, and plaque from your gums, teeth, and braces.
Your orthodontist will provide a list of foods that you should avoid, including:
- Nuts – hard nuts such as almonds or walnuts can break the brace’s wires - Sticky candies – sticky candies such as caramels or candy bars are off-limits - Popcorn – the hard kernels can damage your braces - Bagels – bagels are too hard and chewy - Corn chips – or other crunchy snacks - Whole raw fruit – avoid fruits such as apples and pears - Tough meat – tough meat such as steak or pork chops
For best results from your braces, always follow instructions and recommendations given to you by your dental professional.
Visit your orthodontist for checkups according to the recommended schedule to be sure your progress is on track. Also, if your braces break during treatment, contact your dentist right away to prevent injury.
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