4 Ways To Keep Your Teeth Clean When You Wear Braces
Posted on: 9 January 2015
When you have braces, keeping your teeth clean can be a challenge. The wires and brackets can be a breeding ground for bacteria, and eventually you may have cavities and other dental problems. That's why it's important to be diligent about cleaning your teeth, and doing everything you can to ensure that your teeth remain healthy. Here are four things you can do to keep your teeth clean and presentable when you wear braces.
Get the Right Toothbrush
While a regular toothbrush still works well to clean your teeth, you have to be very careful to clean in between the brackets of your braces. This can be tough for a regular toothbrush to do, because of its size. Luckily, interproximal toothbrushes can be great to use.
Interproximal toothbrushes, also called proxabrushes, are pointy and somewhat cone-shaped. Their shape allows them to get into crevices and tiny spaces created by your braces, so you can fully clean your teeth. They can be bought at your local drugstores and pharmacies.
Use a Water Flosser
Water flossers can be more effective than regular floss at times. The stream of water can reach crevices more easily, and can wash away particles of food just as effectively as floss. In fact, there are different attachments that can help you to keep your entire mouth clean. In particular, there are usually orthodontic attachments, which are small enough to clean in between the brackets of your braces.
Use Mouthwash Every Day
Mouthwash can offer your teeth extra protection every day; some mouthwashes claim to protect your teeth for many hours after you rinse your mouth. However, it is important to talk to your orthodontist about which mouthwashes are safe for the materials that make up your braces. Using the wrong mouthwash may protect your teeth, but ruin your braces.
Avoid Bad Foods
It may seem obvious, but every day someone with braces eats something they shouldn't. It is important that you stay away from bubble gum and other foods and treats that are harmful to your braces. Don't even tempt yourself by having these foods in your home.
However, if you do break down and have a bit of something that you should not eat, make sure that you start cleaning your teeth as soon as possible afterwards, so that bacteria doesn't have time to settle in.
Make sure that you use the suggestions in this article to keep your teeth as clean as possible while you're wearing braces. Be sure to see your orthodontist and dentist regularly, so that you can keep track of how well you're doing. If you take care of your teeth, they will sparkle when your braces are finally removed.
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