Oral hygiene is the key to ensuring a healthy future for your teeth
During your orthodontic treatment, your normal hygiene routine may need to be adjusted to accommodate the appliances used.
Cleaning
Poor oral hygiene can lead to tooth decay, bleeding gums and bad breath. To prevent this occurrence when wearing braces, good oral hygiene needs to be maintained. You need to brush at least twice per day (after breakfast and dinner) for at least three minutes, and rinse after lunch if you are unable to brush at that time. Always use a fluoride toothpaste and aim to clean the braces, your teeth and gums. Ideally you should finish with floss or toothpicks to get to the areas that brushing alone cannot reach. Sugar should be avoided in your diet.
Tooth brushing
Angle the toothbrush bristles at 45 degrees to the gum line and jiggle the toothbrush for 10 seconds per tooth to massage and clean the gum line first. Next clean your braces and then behind the wires as you slowly work around the entire arch. Also remember to clean the inside surfaces of your teeth, down to the gum line around your entire mouth. It is important to pay special attention to cleaning behind the brackets and wires to remove all traces of food and plaque. Finally rinse and carefully check in a mirror, your braces and teeth should now be clean and shiny.
Flossing
It is very important to clean the areas of your mouth that the toothbrush cannot reach. Start by threading the floss underneath the arch wire, then firmly grasp both ends of the floss and slide it down in between the contact points of the teeth into the gum. Gently move the floss up and down, in and out to remove the plaque out of these areas. When you have cleaned both sides of the teeth forming the contact point, remove the floss and sequentially work your way around the entire mouth.
Orthodontic treatment and oral hygiene
It is crucial to maintain oral health throughout your life in order to retain your smile. It is also vital that oral hygiene is not neglected throughout the duration of orthodontic treatment. While the appearance of your smile will be corrected during orthodontic treatment, it is also important to note that this treatment can help increase the health of your oral condition. To assist in this correction, it is important to maintain a strict oral hygiene routine, so your new smiles health can match its aesthetically pleasing appearance.
During your orthodontic appointments, our team can help you monitor your oral health and discuss with you the best methods to keep your smile healthy.