While most people don’t particularly enjoy having braces, they are a great way to get a straight smile and maintain healthy teeth. Taking excellent care of your teeth is particularly important when you wear braces.
You will likely have to spend more time on your oral hygiene routine than someone who doesn’t wear braces. Brushing, flossing, using wax stripes, and eating the proper foods are all things to be conscious of when you have braces.
Braces and Brushing
If you don’t brush your teeth regularly while you have braces, you could develop staining, gum disease, or cavities. Dentists typically recommend brushing your teeth twice a day; however, you may have to add in a third brush if you have braces. Food is more likely to get stuck in braces, so brushing your teeth after lunch is a great way to ensure there’s no food left behind that could cause dental issues.
Manual or electric toothbrushes are still great to use, but you may also want to invest in an interdental brush to clean the hard-to-reach spaces in between your braces. Brush every tooth individually, and pay special attention to the area between your teeth and your gums to prevent a buildup of plaque.
Mouthwash and Disclosing Tablets
We recommend you use mouthwash a least once a day, ideally before you go to bed, while you have your braces. This helps to flush out any food remnants and disinfects the areas of your teeth that are hard to reach.
Always choose an alcohol-free product because alcohol weakens the plastic parts of the brace and inhibits saliva production. The best products contain fluoride that strengthens your teeth. You can look for the ADA Seal of Acceptance if you’re unsure which mouthwash to use.
Because brushing can be much harder with braces, patients are sometimes advised to use disclosing tablets. They contain a dye that makes plaque visible on the teeth.
Chew a disclosing tablet two to three times a week after you’ve brushed your teeth to see whether there is still a lot of plaque left. Once you get better at brushing with your braces, you can reduce the frequency to once a week.
Braces and Flossing
Flossing takes more time when you have braces, but it’s worth it to keep your teeth and gums healthy. Give yourself at least 10 to 15 minutes the first few times since you have to learn how to thread the dental floss around the wires. You can use a tool called a floss threader to make the process easier.
If you find this uncomfortable or too difficult, consider using a water flosser. This device sprays water between your teeth to clean them. It is often quicker and more efficient. You can also try dental tape, an ultra-thin and spongy type of floss that is appropriate for people with gum disease, who may find regular flossing painful.
Braces Can Cause Rubbing or Digging
Sometimes, patients feel uncomfortable because a part of their brace rubs against their lip or digs into the inside of their mouth. This might happen due to the positioning of the teeth or if one of the wires dislodges or gets bent.
To reduce the discomfort, you can use dental wax to cover the area. If the pain is severe be sure to call your dentist as your braces may need adjusting. Roll a strip of wax into a pea-sized shape, and place it over the part of the brace that is causing discomfort.
The wax won’t come off, so it can be left in the mouth overnight or throughout the day. Take it out before brushing your teeth, and replace it with a new strip afterward.
Mouth Guards for Braces
If you play contact sports, you need to wear a mouth guard to protect your braces and teeth. It’s best to get this custom-made to ensure your braces don’t get caught or stuck.
Once you’ve received your custom mouthguard, it should last you for a while, but you’ll need to get a new mouthguard fitted every so often to adjust with your teeth.
Checkups at the Dentist
With braces, you are more likely to suffer from gum disease, cavities, and a buildup of plaque than others. That’s why regular checks at the dentist are important. Schedule an appointment for your dental cleaning and checkup at least twice a year. If your dentist sees signs of dental issues, they can recommend more frequent cleanings or a treatment plan to reduce long-term effects.
What Do I Need to Buy?
You likely already have most of the oral care products needed to take care of your braces. Make sure you have a good-quality manual toothbrush or an electric toothbrush. You can also invest in interdental brushes that allow you to clean the spaces between your teeth, braces, and the brackets mounted on your teeth.
Determine whether you’ll use normal dental floss, a water flosser, or dental tape, and then buy the necessary materials. It may take some trial and error to find the best floss for your braces.
You also need mouthwash and can invest in disclosing tablets if necessary. Get some wax, even if you don’t have any discomfort at the moment. You never know when you might need protective wax strips.
Eating and Drinking With Braces
There are certain foods you can’t eat with braces. Stick to your Dentists’ guidelines and recommendations to avoid problems. Try to brush your teeth after every meal. Reduce or eliminate snacking, and stick to three meals per day. If you need to eat something in between your meals, choose foods low in sugar. Drink plain water or tea whenever possible.
What Not to Eat
To keep your braces from breaking, avoid hard foods like nuts, ice, hard candy, and raw vegetables that are tough to chew. Each time one of the metal wires breaks or gets bent out of shape, your treatment can be delayed by up to a month.
You also need to avoid chewy foods like gum and jerky snacks because they can get stuck between the wires and your teeth. Avoid anything that exposes your teeth to large amounts of sugar. This includes sour candy, soda, and fruit juice.
People with braces can be at an increased risk of developing gum disease, cavities, and infections if they don’t take good care of their teeth. Brush regularly, floss at least once a day, use mouthwash, and attend regular checkups at the dental clinic.
Eat healthy foods that are not hard, chewy, acidic, or high in sugar. Make sure your diet includes plenty of fruit, cooked vegetables, and protein-heavy foods. Drink water, tea, or milk because these beverages don’t cause cavities and other issues. If you’d like to eat raw fruit and veggies, chop them up to make them easier to eat.
Are You Searching For A Martinsburg Area Dental Office For You Or Your Family?
If you’re searching for an experienced dentist please feel free to contact us online or call our Martinsburg, West Virginia dental office directly at 304.267.6059 to schedule your appointment. We provide a wide range of general dentistry care as well as more involved dentistry services for patients throughout the Martinsburg area and look forward to you joining the Cornerstone Dental family.
