Finding It Difficult to Keep Your Teeth Clean Now That You Have Braces?
You'll be wearing your new dental braces for anywhere between one and three years. It would be a downright shame, if, when your braces are removed, your teeth were actually in worse shape than when you began treatment. Some people find that the physical presence of the braces makes it difficult to maintain a high level of oral hygiene, but it's essential that you follow the best practice for keeping your teeth clean.
Your Diet
Some foods and drinks are particularly harmful to your teeth. Some of these are obvious (such as fizzy drinks), but others might come as a surprise (such as bread). It's unrealistic to expect someone to completely abstain from consuming these things for the duration of their treatment. Can you imagine three years without bread? But what you should do is lower your intake of these items. Remember that they can be bad for your teeth, and it's not quite as easy to clean your teeth while your braces are in place. Get into the habit of carrying a small bottle of water (or fluoridated mouthwash) with you, everywhere you go. Rinse your mouth after consuming any food or drink (other than water), which irrigates your mouth and washes away harmful bacteria before it has a chance to accumulate and start causing trouble.
Your Equipment
Now that you have braces, your old manual toothbrush is unlikely to be up to the job. If you want to keep using a manual toothbrush, choose one with a small head to allow for greater maneuverability around the various components of your braces. Alternatively, upgrade to a sonic, electric toothbrush. In addition to the rotations of the brush head, the device's sonic vibrations help to dislodge any debris that might be caught under your braces.
Your Dental Appointments
In addition to having your braces regularly inspected by your orthodontist, you will need to see your dentist more often. Time is of the essence when it comes to treating plaque. It needs to be removed before it becomes tartar and begins to attack the underlying dental enamel. Your dentist will tell you the best schedule for professional cleaning (dental scaling), but it might be several times each year. The added frequency is due to your braces and the potential difficulty of removing plaque, despite your best efforts.
It's crucial to keep your teeth in the best possible condition while you have braces, since you don't want your newly straightened teeth to need additional work once your braces are removed.