Dental Hygiene with Braces

Not everyone has that perfect smile, and at Bailey Orthodontics, we understand that. If you have a problem with crooked or crowded teeth or a gap that makes you feel self-conscious, braces can correct it and give you the smile of your dreams. If you get the traditional kind, you might find it challenging to keep your teeth and gums as clean as possible. Follow these tips for dental hygiene with braces.

Brush Regularly

After getting braces in Flower Mound, it’s important to keep brushing your teeth regularly. However, instead of doing it only twice a day, it’s wise to brush after every meal, including snacks. This is because food particles are more likely to get stuck in your braces, which can lead to bad breath, tooth decay, or gum disease. Also, you can benefit more from using an electric toothbrush as they’re especially thorough.

Use a Special Brush

Our Flower Mound orthodontist recommends a special interdental brush to patients who have braces. This product is great for getting between the teeth and cleaning around the metal wires and brackets to prevent excess plaque. Using an interdental brush before your regular brushing routine is best. Be gentle to prevent damaging your braces.

Floss Once Per Day

Although flossing is more difficult with braces, it’s crucial to continue doing so at least once per day. It can further eliminate excess food particles and prevent plaque buildup that can be a breeding ground for cavities and periodontal disease. Floss threaders or an orthodontic flosser are best when you have braces in Flower Mound. Avoid flossing too hard to prevent irritating your gums.

You can also use a water flosser to loosen stubborn food particles that might be stuck in your braces. Set it to a gentler mode and do it once per day.

Use Mouthwash

After you finish brushing your teeth, rinse with antiseptic mouthwash. This is a step the Flower Mound orthodontist recommends that helps to keep your breath fresh, eliminate stubborn food from your braces, and prevent plaque buildup. Use mouthwash once in the morning and once at night, before bedtime.

Be Smart About What You Eat

During your braces Flower Mound treatment, cutting certain foods from your diet is necessary. Anything very hard and crunchy or sticky should be avoided. Such foods can damage the wires and brackets in your braces or stick to them and make it very difficult to clean away. Once your braces are removed, you can resume eating these foods.

If you are interested in getting braces to make your smile even more beautiful, contact our office in Flower Mound at (214) 285-8346 to schedule a consultation.