Taking care of your braces at home can be a challenge, but remember the work you do while wearing braces will result in a stunning new smile, so it’s worth it! The last thing you want is discoloration or white spots on your teeth due to poor oral care. Dr. Amber Robertson and Dr. Chris Robertson provides this overview of how you should be taking care of your braces at home.
IT’S A PARTNERSHIP
For a successful outcome, it takes teamwork between you and your orthodontic team. The Chattanooga Dental Studio will use their expertise to ensure you have a beautiful straight smile, but it is critical that you practice good home care while wearing your braces.
PLAQUE IS YOUR ENEMY
Plaque is the sticky, white film on tooth surfaces that is formed by the growth of bacteria. Plaque invades the areas in and around your braces, so it is important to floss and brush to eliminate the plaque. If you don’t, it can result in swollen gums, bad breath, cavities, and even permanent scars on your teeth.
While it may be a hassle, brushing after every meal and snack is important to removing food particles and to avoid plaque buildup. It would help if you carried a travel-sized toothbrush with you everywhere to make brushing a consistent habit after any meals or snacks.
When you wear braces, your new best friends have to be your toothbrush and floss!
BRUSHING TECHNIQUE MATTERS
- While brushing correctly seems like common sense, when you wear braces, your technique is even more important.
- Use a soft, rounded-bristle toothbrush and change it often because braces will wear out your toothbrush faster.
- Use fluoride toothpaste to help prevent tooth decay and prevent your tooth enamel from breaking down. Also, you should not use whitening toothpaste when wearing braces because it will leave you with darker areas on the tooth surface where the brackets were.
- Make sure you cover every surface in your mouth — fronts, sides, and backs of every tooth, plus around the hidden parts of your braces. You should also brush your tongue, gums, and the roof of your mouth to prevent bacteria from growing.
- Rinse your mouth thoroughly to completely remove any food particles and the toothpaste.
- Do a quick check for any broken or loose wires or brackets that could cause you mouth pain and disrupt your treatment plan. If you break a bracket or wire, contact us immediately so that we can repair the damage.
FLOSSING MATTERS TOO
Floss is your other best friend. While it will be difficult and time-consuming at first, with practice, you’ll become a pro in no time.
The best time to floss is at night before you go to bed, to make sure food and plaque are not sitting on your teeth all night.
You should use a floss threader so that you will be able to pull the floss through your teeth. Make sure you get all the way up under your gum line because that’s where plaque tends to hide.
SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION WITH CHATTANOOGA DENTAL STUDIO TODAY!
If you have more questions about how to take care of your braces at home or want to schedule an appointment, contact us. Our team will be happy to answer all of your questions. You can also schedule an appointment online.
The Chattanooga Dental Studio is also an emergency dentist, so if you need immediate treatment, contact us. We also offer many other services, such as teeth whitening and dentures, so contact our office if you’d like to schedule a consultation for other dental needs.
We look forward to helping you with all of your dental needs.