Did you know that braces can help you with digestion issues? Getting your teeth aligned can help you chew better if your teeth are not properly straightened, too. They can also help you to prevent any serious injuries that may be caused by upper teeth that are misaligned or protruding. Different reasons can have you decided to get braces or to get them for your children. For instance, when teeth are misaligned, they can cause bone loss, as the bacteria eats away at the bones.
To ensure that you achieve the expected results, it is important to follow several tips for when you get braces. Below, we have provided you some care tips for when you get braces.
Why Is Braces Care Important?
If you thought that taking care of your oral health is difficult, you should be prepared for new challenges when you have braces on. You may have sold at top dollar for junk vehicles you couldn’t keep anymore to afford to get braces, so you need to be prepared for the new task of cleaning your teeth. This is why it is important to follow oral care tips for when you get braces. For instance, you may have to be careful with the tiny spaces that can trap food particles. This means that you have to clean your braces and brush your teeth after every meal.
Tips for when you get braces will work whether you have metal braces or ceramic braces. The significance of taking care of your braces is that it prevents any damage to them and your teeth. Moreover, it makes it uncomfortable to wear your braces if they are not taken care of properly. It is always essential to listen to your orthodontist about why taking care of your braces is important.
Brush and Floss At Least Twice a Day
The basics of taking care of your braces include brushing and flossing. You need to be considerate of the careful cleaning technique that is required for your braces. As part of the tips for when you get braces, we suggest that you follow this routine along with your standard orthodontic treatment:
- Remove the elastics and any other parts that are removable from your braces.
- Hold your brush properly so that you can brush the wires and pins around your braces. You cannot rush this process, taking your time will ensure that you remove all the debris and plaque.
- When you brush your teeth, clean each one individually. Reach the inner and outer sides of each tooth.
- Floss once a day with waxed floss. This type of floss will remain intact and not get shredded while you floss.
- You need to rinse thoroughly with clean water and check if you have cleaned properly.
Ensure the Bathroom Is in Tip-Top Shape for Braces Care
Did you know that each time that you flush your toilet microscopic bacteria is released into the air and can land on your brushes? It sounds gross, but that is the reality of the type of environment that your bathroom has. For example, the moisture in your bathroom can be a breeding ground for mold. Studies suggest that there is a detrimental relationship between black mold in your bathroom walls and tooth decay. This is why it is important to ensure that your bathroom is in tip-top shape for your braces care. Sometimes, this can include undergoing several plumbing repairs to ensure that everything is running smoothly.
Orthodontists recommend that part of your oral care tips for when you get braces is ensuring that your bathroom is more than a place where you can get clean water from. It needs to remain clean at all times to minimize any bacteria or mold from affecting your oral hygiene routine. This can also mean that your pipes need to be maintained to ensure that you are not exposed to any contaminated water.
Keep Dental Products Organized
Creating a healthy habit of brushing your teeth when you have braces means that you may need to come up with simple and creative ways to keep your oral products organized. When your oral products are organized, it encourages you to maintain the habit of keeping your teeth clean and braces cared for. You can either go for a simple system that can be changed once in a while, or you can find custom countertops for your bathroom to organize your supplies on. This can help you know where everything stays and to keep up with your oral care tips for when you get braces.
Pack Back-Up Dental Materials In Your Child’s Backpack for School
When it is time to go back to school and your child has had their braces on over the holidays, you may have to take extra steps to ensure that they stick to their dental care routine. This can include organizing their dental products and having backup dental products that they can take to school. However, you can not guarantee that they will be able to follow through with their consistent brushing and flossing while at school.
As a result, you may have to use creative ways to help them remember their dental care routine even when they are at school. For instance, you can include a colored lanyard that is marked with instructions for each dental product alongside a student sneeze guard. The instructions can also be relayed to their teacher, depending on how old your child is. If they are slightly older, you can also try to sync your notifications with theirs on their phone. This can make it easier for you to remind them about their braces care throughout the day.
Use Mouthwash
If you are struggling with deciding whether mouthwash is an essential part of your regular dental care routine, you are not alone. Many people are not aware of how mouthwash can be an effective supplement to brushing and flossing when you have braces. The refreshing and cleaning minerals give your dental routine the type of care that is required for your braces.
Common tips for when you get braces involve the benefits that mouthwash can give you. These are some benefits of using mouthwash when you have braces:
- It gives you fresh breath better than toothpaste can.
- The liquid can enter the tiny spaces that a toothbrush cannot reach.
- It plays a vital role in preventing plaque from building up on your gums.
- It is also a good way to prevent cavities from growing.
- It can help to cure any canker sores in your mouth.
Stay Away From Sugary and Sticky Foods
Having a variety of food in your diet is important. However, there are some foods that dentists and orthodontists recommend you avoid. These types of foods are not tooth-friendly and can cause many problems when you have braces. For example, sugary and sticky foods can increase the growth of bad bacteria in your mouth. When these bacteria go into a frenzy, it can increase the production of acids, which can damage your teeth and lead to severe tooth decay.
Cutting out sugar from your diet is not such an easy thing to do. For example, most foods contain a certain amount of sugar. However, to ensure that you do not miss out on certain nutrients while sticking with dental care tips for when you get braces, there are options that you can try. For instance, you can reduce or avoid your intake of foods that contain any added sugars.
Sticky food such as toffee and even dried fruit can contribute to the decay of your teeth and damage your braces if it is left on the surface of your teeth for a long time. Dentists recommend that you can eat sticky food when you have your main meal and not as a snack during the day. Sometimes the issue is the frequency of these foods and not necessarily the fact that you are eating them. This doesn’t mean that you must use the local dumpster rental to throw away all of your sugary and sticky foods. At times, moderation and discipline are key towards ensuring good dental health when you have braces.
Drink Plenty of Water
Drinking plenty of water should be an essential factor in your tips for when you get braces. Summer is generally the hottest time of the year, so it requires consistent hydration. However, when you have braces, you ought to be careful of the types of liquids that you consume to keep you hydrated. While sports drinks and soda may be palatable for you, the amount of added sugar that they contain may be detrimental to your braces.
These drinks can contain acids that are damaging and that can cause the enamel to weaken over time. This can lead to a myriad of dental issues such as discoloration and cavities. Water is the best option because it is a natural resource that has beneficial nutrients. Moreover, studies suggest that drinking water is beneficial for your teeth because it can help to strengthen your enamel. This is ideal for developing your teeth and preventing tooth decay when you have braces. Plaque also struggles to grow and build up in a mouth that is clean and hydrated.
Visit the Dentist Regularly for Cleanings
Part of your tips for when you get braces should include getting regular dentist treatments to ensure that your dental care runs adequately. When you visit the dentist regularly, you are proactive in ensuring that your teeth and gums are healthy. A dentist can see potential dental issues or issues with your braces before they become serious. A dental checkup and cleaning are essential to check your teeth for any trouble areas.
If you have any tartar or plaque buildup, your dentist can remove it and polish your teeth if possible. It is recommended that you should have a dental cleaning done once a year and any time when it is required if you have braces. A visit to the dentist should leave you feeling clean and fresh with plenty of brushing and flossing tips and techniques you can practice in your own frameless glass mirrored bathroom.
Follow the Orthodontist’s Tips and Rules
It does not matter whether you are getting your braces for medical reasons or cosmetic ones. What matters is following the tips and rules that you are told to follow. The rules can range from the type of foods to avoid or how to brush and floss, as we have highlighted above. The tips and rules that your orthodontist recommends are important to ensure that your braces provide you with the results that you want.
If your child is the one who has braces, these are some rules that dentists recommend should be followed:
- They should brush their teeth up to four times a day.
- Ensure that they floss with different tools.
- Replace their toothbrush more frequently.
- Teach them how to swish water when they rinse their mouth.
- Ensure that they avoid hard, sugary, and sticky foods.
If you have any problems with overcrowded, misaligned, protruding, or spacing with your teeth, you are not alone. Getting braces can help you to fix your dental problems and your smile. However, it can be a costly exercise that also requires a certain level of care and hygiene. For instance, you may have to change the way that you eat, reorganize your bathroom countertops, and brush and floss more than you already do.
If you struggle to come up with a routine at home, following this guide can help you to come up with your tips for when you get braces. Moreover, it is highly recommended that you follow all the tips and rules that your orthodontist provides you with. This will help you to get the results that you need from your braces. If your child has braces, it is important to ensure that you help them to follow these rules and tips consistently.