Oral Hygiene With Braces

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Oral Hygiene With Braces
Posted on 10/30/2017

Oral Hygiene with Braces

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As your orthodontic team and orthodontist in Grand Rapids, we at Grand Ridge Orthodontics just want to see each of our patients achieve success with their orthodontic treatment. One of the most important factors in determining whether a braces treatment will be a success depends on a person’s oral hygiene. There’s almost nothing more critical for having success with braces than a committed and effective oral hygiene regimen and we’d like to explain why.

 

Why Maintaining Oral Hygiene Is Important

When you wear braces, your gums may be more swollen and your teeth can be more susceptible to cavities. To make things worse, suffering from any dental problems during this time can require you to pause from your regular orthodontic adjustments. By practicing great brushing and flossing, you’ll help make sure that you’ll be able to finish your orthodontic treatment on time.

Additionally, if your oral hygiene isn’t maintained, you may find that your teeth might be decalcified (or discolored) when you get your braces off. To explain what this is and how this happens, think of this example: when you take an object off of a dusty dresser, you’ll notice how clean the area is underneath the object as compared to the dust surrounding it. In essence, that’s what it’s like when you don’t take care of your teeth while you’re wearing braces. If you don’t notice it immediately, you will when you finally get your braces removed.

 

How to Maintain Your Oral Hygiene with Braces and Invisalign

To help you with your daily oral hygiene regimen, your orthodontist has provided you with some helpful tips:

  • If you have Invisalign, remove the aligners and brush them too with cold water and toothpaste.

  • If you have braces, first take off any elastics before brushing.

  • We Team with Crest Toothpaste and Oral-B Power Toothbrushes to get rid of more plaque on your teeth than manual brushing. The electronic toothbrush links via Bluetooth to your cell phone to record how well you are doing and display any spots needing more help. A built-in timer and pressure sensor assure the best cleaning possible.

  • If using a regular toothbrush, gently brush your teeth in a circular motion at a 45-degree angle and make sure not to brush too hard.

  • Because it’s easy for food to get trapped in your braces and between teeth, you’ll want to be persistent with your brushing, remembering to do so after every meal.

  • Don’t forget to floss daily as well. If you’re having trouble getting the floss underneath your archwire, you can use a floss threader to make it easier.

  • Check your teeth afterward and inspect your braces to ensure that no food is still trapped in them.

Contact Your Orthodontist in Grand Rapids Today!

We hope this helps you with your oral hygiene! If you have any further questions, you can always contact us and let us know. To schedule an appointment with us, please feel free to fill out our appointment request form. We can’t wait to hear from you!