If you or someone else is your family has braces, you’re looking forward to see that new, beautiful smile. The thing is, if you want impressive results, you need to take care of your teeth and braces. This means brushing appropriately and following the advice of your Phoenix Orthodontist who knows how to help you achieve a healthy, brilliant smile. If you don’t practice proper brushing, you risk developing cavities, infected and swollen gums, discolored teeth and worse. We know nobody wants this.
Here’s something you should keep in mind. . .
For the best results from orthodontic treatment, you need to commit to brushing your teeth multiple times a day. If you have a child with braces, you need to teach them the importance of caring for their teeth, showing them the proper brushing techniques and making sure that they brush every day.
First, the most important thing to keep in mind is that your teeth won’t get clean if your toothbrush doesn’t reach your teeth. It’s the position of the toothbrush that makes the ultimate difference. Now, here are the basics regarding how to your brush teeth with braces.
- First, rinse your mouth out with water to remove loose food particles.
- Don’t just scrub back and forth – while this cleans the top part of the bracket it doesn’t get the teeth clean.
- Angle the toothbrush at 45% facing up, getting the bristles in-between and to the sides of the bracket.
- Brush and massage your gums, working to get the food away from the gum line.
- Next, change the angle of the toothbrush to 45% facing down and brush thoroughly.
- For good measure, brush your tongue which will help remove bacteria and freshen your breath.
If you end up in a situation where brushing after eating isn’t an option, at least swish your mouth out with a dental rinse or water. This action will wash away at least some food particles and sugar lingering there, helping prevent additional damage to the teeth.
With braces, brushing teeth can be difficult and takes more time (2 to 3 minutes). The good news is that once you see the results, it will be well worth it!
NOTE: If you want to make your life easier, use an electric toothbrush.
At E&S Orthodontics, our patients with braces have seen stunning results, especially if they’ve teamed up with us in their care by appropriately brushing their teeth during treatment.
Have any questions regarding how to successfully brush your teeth with braces? Contact us today. Our friendly, professional staff would love to help you.
