At Wake Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry, we teach our patients that one of the most important aspects of orthodontic treatment is making sure you keep your teeth clean by regularly brushing and flossing. Navigating the brackets and wires, however, can initially present some oral hygiene challenges. We encourage our patients to remain diligent about a good oral hygiene routine as it will serve them well throughout treatment and life!
Cleaning Tips
Listed below are some tips and techniques, which will simplify and enhance your oral hygiene while wearing braces:
- Brush on a regular basis — It can feel awkward to brush your teeth when you first get braces. However, once you’ve had some practice, it will become second nature. Dentists generally recommend that people brush their teeth two or three times a day for at least two minutes each time. When you are wearing braces, it’s particularly important to brush your teeth after each meal as braces tend to increase the amount of food that gets stuck in your teeth.
- Floss with a floss threader — Flossing should be done daily. The best time to floss is before bedtime, to remove the plaque brushing may miss. Floss threaders, available at grocery stores and pharmacies, are small plastic disposable tools shaped like a loop with a tail. You tear off 12 to 18 inches of dental floss; insert about five inches of floss through the threader; and run it under the wire of your braces to floss back and forth and up and down along your gum line. By brushing and flossing on a regular basis, you’ll be able to achieve a healthy smile and happy gums.
- Use an antibacterial mouthwash — Using an antibacterial mouthwash serves two purposes: it kills germs, and helps reduce the gum or cheek irritation or inflammation that braces occasionally cause.
- See your regular dentist every 6 months – Regular dental visits are very important when you are undergoing orthodontic treatment. At your regularly scheduled visits, the hygienist will use special tools and cleaning instruments to remove plaque buildup that orthodontists don’t treat.
How Wake Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry Can Help
Here at Wake Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry, we want you to feel comfortable asking questions you may have about taking care of your braces or helping your child care for his or her braces. Please contact us at (919) 719-1780 or schedule an appointment online. Our staff is knowledgeable and trained in all aspects of braces care. We are thrilled when our patients are conscientious with their oral hygiene efforts! The reward is a beautiful, clean, healthy smile at the end of orthodontic treatment.