How to Maintain Oral Health with Braces

It’s important to maintain your oral health while wearing braces.

Orthodontic procedures like braces are often the key to proper tooth alignment and a winning smile. They also help to maintain your overall oral health because an abnormal bite can make it harder to remove plaque around the misaligned teeth.

It’s also important to maintain your oral health while wearing braces, however, and taking care of your braces and the teeth underneath them will make your braces more comfortable to wear and assure the health of your teeth and gums. The following recommendations will help guide you.

Brushing & Flossing

Brushing and flossing always are necessary for good oral health. Careful cleaning is important when you wear braces because plaque bacteria can be trapped inside and around them easily. Take off any removable parts of your braces before brushing and then brush at a 45-degree angle around the pins and wires of your braces. Take care to brush each tooth individually, while also flossing once a day.

Special Brushing Tools

There are special tools available if you have difficulty brushing near the brackets and wires of your braces. The interdental toothbrush has a small tuft of bristles that work well for cleaning the tiny spaces around wires, brackets, and bands.

Another effective tool is an oral irrigator, commonly referred to as a water pick. The irrigator shoots a stream of pressurized water at your teeth to help dislodge food that’s trapped in nooks and crannies.

A floss threader, which works in a similar way to threading a needle, is a helpful tool for flossing under the archwire. Just be sure to use a new section of floss for each area of your teeth.

If you have questions about maintaining your oral health with braces or any other concerns, contact Perfect Smiles Orthodontics today.

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