Hygiene Tips To Follow During Orthodontics Treatment
Keeping good oral hygiene is essential during any orthodontic treatment as failure to do so will most likely end in need of follow-up treatment for any cavity or infection that could occur. Maintaining a good cleaning routine is super helpful in preventing this. There are a ton of tools at your disposal that will make cleaning even the most difficult places much easier. Here are some tips to keep your mouth healthy while you work to make it beautiful.
How to Properly Brush Your Teeth With Braces
Consistency is a key factor in keeping your teeth healthy. Normally, brushing at least 2 times a day is the gold standard, but it would be ideal to brush and rinse your teeth after every meal to make sure no there are no residuals stuck to the teeth for prolonged amounts of time.
While actually brushing your teeth, you should make sure to keep brushing for at least 2 minutes, use a chronometer if needed to make sure you are not under that time. While cleaning the braces Everett, make sure to push the toothbrush enough so that the bristles bend under the wires and between the brackets. Don’t use too much pressure as you could end up hurting your surrounding gums. Use a circular motion and try to cover the entire surface of the teeth.
A few, sometimes, forgotten parts of the mouth that also need cleaning are the tongue and the inside of the teeth. The tongue is very easy to clean, just don’t forget to brush it delicately every time. As for the inside of the teeth, for the teeth in front turn the toothbrush vertically and scrub gently. For the rest of the teeth, brush horizontally and try to turn it at a 45-degree angle.
What to Use to Brush My Teeth With Braces
There are a lot of different tools you can use to have proper oral hygiene while in the middle of Everett orthodontic treatment that will allow you to get to the more complicated places and avoid tooth decay. An interdental brush is very effective in cleaning the small crevices that can occur between the teeth, brackets, and wiring.
As stated previously, flossing is very important and, even with braces, should be done every day at least once. As the braces themselves make it very difficult to floss properly, a floss threader may be useful. On the same note, if someone has difficulty using their hands to floss a floss hook is always a great idea and should be considered.
What Toothpaste to Use?
Although there are a lot of types of toothpaste, and each one has a different objective, either to whiten your teeth or help with sensibility, the most recommended type of toothpaste is one that contains fluoride. As stated in Healthline, fluoride is an incredible substance that provides the teeth with necessary minerals, deals with germs that can damage the tooth, and provides a protective layer.
As with everything else, everyone has different needs. Some people may need more products than toothpaste with fluoride and some may not. Contact your nearest dentist to know if you need any extra fluoride or not.
What Toothbrush to Use?
Generally, a soft-bristle brush with a small head will work better, and for use with orthodontics, a soft bristle is also better as it will get inside those little crevices better. The soft bristles will make it so that you can push your toothbrush against your teeth without putting too much pressure on them or the orthodontic in place, thus, getting to the hard places without causing any damage. This way there won’t be any damage to the gums either.
For some people who can’t maneuver the toothbrush properly, an electric toothbrush might be best, as it will scrub those difficult places without too much effort. As said previously, there are special tools to help clean the little crevices so, with a bit of luck, that part shouldn’t be a problem.
Some Foods to Avoid
Hard and sticky foods are definitely what you want to avoid. Eating this type of food can cause a bracket or a wire to pop out increasing your time with orthodontics. Foods like popcorn, chips, ice, nuts, candies, toffees, marshmallows, and hard cookies must be avoided by all patients at all costs. Fruits or meat are all right as long as you cut them into smaller pieces. Sugary foods should also stay away from your diet, as they leave a sticky film on your teeth that’s difficult to clean properly with any orthodontic appliance.
Schedule An Appointment With our Everett Orthodontics At Silver Lake Orthodontics
If you want to get help with keeping a good oral hygiene routine or are looking to better your smile with the use of orthodontics Silver Lake Orthodontics is happy to help you just call us at 425-278-4400 or schedule an appointment with us.