Good oral hygiene is important at all stages of life, but it is even more vital when you are wearing braces or orthodontic appliances. Whether permanent or removable the addition of orthodontia to the teeth and gums creates new crevices for food particles and bacteria to gather. While brushing and flossing can be cumbersome, it is important to spend the extra time each day to clean your teeth and gums properly.
At Brooklyn Orthodontics we are enthusiastic about helping you achieve the straightest smile, and that includes helping you care for your teeth while you are straightening them.If you have any questions about your individual oral health care, feel free to ask us questions at your next appointment. We will be happy to demonstrate the easiest way to navigate your braces, retainer, or spacers.
Brushing with Braces
Toothbrushing is the fundamental oral hygiene practice, but the addition of braces with their wires and brackets can make brushing a special challenge. When brushing your teeth, use with small circular motions. When approaching your teeth between the arch wire and gums angle the brush toward the wire; similarly angle the brush toward the wire when you brush the bottoms of your teeth as well. Be sure to spend time carefully brushing the chewing surfaces of your teeth—while these areas may not be affected directly by brackets or wires, they are the most prone to decay.
When you have braces it is advised that your brush your teeth at least three times a day. If you indulge in a sweet or sticky snack, take a moment to brush your teeth after that as well. This helps prevent sugars from breeding plaque and bacteria on your teeth and gums.
Flossing with Braces
Flossing is everyone’s favorite daily task to forget, but it becomes very important when wearing braces. When flossing with braces take care to thread the floss behind the wire and then move floss between teeth down to the gumline. It is important to remember to be gentle and not pull on your wires with the floss as this can result in bends and breaks that may ultimately delay your treatment.
Rinse
Rinsing your teeth after bushing with an antiseptic mouthwash can help reach areas of the mouth that you cannot reach with your toothbrush. Rinsing with water is a good practice as well. A water pik is a good option to help rinse hard to access areas of the mouth.
Caring for Your Invisalign
One of the benefits of Invisalign is the ability to remove the aligner to brush and floss—but you still have to do it! It is especially important to brush after each meal at the aligner will trap any remain food particles against your teeth until it is removed again.
Caring for Your Retainer
Clean the retainer well each time you remove it to brush your teeth. Take time each day to soak the appliance in one of our recommended cleaning solutions. Just like Invisalign, any food or bacteria that gets trapped on the retainer also gets trapped against your teeth!
Setting aside a few extra minutes after every meal will help you care for your orthodontia and your teeth with limited interruption to your day. Once again if you have questions or concern about oral hygiene, give us a call!