What do you need to know when it comes to dental brace cleaning?

1. Don’t forget to floss
2. Brush your teeth in sections
3. Gargle with mouthwash
4. Change your toothbrush regularly
5. Modify your diet for easier cleaning
6. Show up for dental appointments

After your braces appointment at a dental clinic in BGC, Taguig, your orthodontist will give you some tips about oral hygiene. Because you will be wearing this appliance for a long time, you need to be accustomed to the proper cleaning techniques necessary to keep it hygienic. Because if you’re not careful, food can get stuck on the wire, bands, and brackets. For tips on dental brace cleaning, keep on reading!

Don’t Forget to Floss

Aside from a soft-bristled toothbrush, your dentist might also recommend an interdental brush—also called a proxa brush—to remove debris between your brackets. If you have a hard time using traditional floss, this might be the better alternative for you.

But no matter what you use, be sure to use them before brushing. Plaque can build up between teeth, especially now that you have braces.

If you’re using floss, opt for the waxed kind as the un-waxed variant might shred when making contact with your braces. Use 18 inches every time, and insert it inside the main wire of your braces before gently moving it up and down. Repeat the process when moving on to other pairs of teeth.

Brush Your Teeth in Sections

To ensure that you’re cleaning every nook and cranny of your teeth, you need to allocate 30 seconds to each quadrant of your mouth while brushing. Because it only requires 2 minutes of your time, there is no excuse not to do it properly.

Before you brush your teeth, make sure to take off all the removable hardware such as elastics. Hold your soft-bristled toothbrush at a 45-degree angle and maintain contact with the teeth surface and the gum line.

Don’t forget to reach the interior side of your teeth by angling your brush vertically. Aside from your teeth and gums, gently brush the roof of your mouth and tongue in a scrubbing motion. After this, you can rinse with water and you’re done!

Gargle with Mouthwash

While flossing and brushing regularly can loosen the food debris stuck in your braces, mouthwash can help you remove them completely! Besides, there are hard-to-reach areas in your mouth that you can’t clean with these oral tools alone.

When you’re using mouthwash, you are covering your teeth surface with beneficial ingredients that can kill bacteria. Some of them are even infused with fluoride which can protect your teeth from cavities. If you’re uncertain about the brand you can use, you can always ask your orthodontist for recommendations. After all, they know the science behind it.

But if your mouth still aches from the installation or adjustment of your braces, your doctor might recommend a saline-based mouthwash instead. The antibacterial properties of salt will help heal the sores and lessen the swelling.

Change Your Toothbrush Regularly

Speaking of bacteria, are you one of the people who use their toothbrushes until the bristles fall out? If you’re not replacing them every 3-4 months, you might be introducing more germs to your mouth than you’re aware of. If you notice that the bristles are getting worn out, you might need to change them sooner.

When storing your brushes, you don’t need to use special devices such as ultraviolet lights, dishwashers, or microwaves. Instead of helping, this might just shorten the life of your toothbrush.

After using your toothbrush, you should rinse it with tap water first. Get rid of all the visible debris and let it air dry in an upright position. Avoid covering it with caps because the moisture can speed up the growth of bacteria.

Modify Your Diet for Easier Cleaning

Aside from regular hygiene, a small modification in diet might also help you keep your braces clean. By reducing foods that can adhere to wires or get stuck on your brackets, you will have an easier time brushing your teeth.

This means that you should steer away from sticky foods such as chewing gum, candy, and glutinous rice cakes. Hard snacks such as nuts and popcorn can also damage your braces.

Your wires can loosen and the brackets can fall off. If this keeps happening, your braces won’t have a chance to work properly which lengthens the duration you need to wear one.

Show Up for Dental Appointments

If your braces loosen before your next dental appointment, ask your doctor whether you need to schedule a checkup sooner. They can fix your brackets or adjust your braces accordingly.

During your regular appointments, your dentist will tighten your braces to ensure that they’re effectively moving your teeth. But aside from this, they can also address problems related to plaque and cavities.

That’s why if you have any concerns about your oral health, you can use this opportunity to ask questions to your dentist.

Key Takeaway

There’s nothing worse than getting food stuck in your teeth. Aside from making you uncomfortable, these can also lead to tooth decay if you’re not careful. That’s why your oral hygiene practices should never be neglected, especially if you have braces that can make it easier for debris to hide.

If you have more questions about dental brace cleaning, you can ask the orthodontists at Casipit Dental Group! Because braces are part of our expertise, we can supply you with the information you need to properly maintain these dental devices.