By Emma 
Wearing braces is one of the most efficient ways to have a flawless smile and straight teeth.
If you’ve recently been given braces, and now you have no idea how to take care of your oral hygiene, we’re here to help.
While future hygiene won’t differ much from your pre-braces one, it will include more frequent brushing alongside several other crucial steps. Want to know more?
Check out the following tips for essential info about taking care of your braces.
Table of Contents
Brush and floss more frequently
Brushing and flossing at least twice a day is a standard that many orthodontists recommend.
However, when you’re wearing braces, you’ll need to make the practice slightly more frequent. Doing a thorough cleaning several times a day should become your habit.
That is the worst time to become lazy about your oral hygiene, so get that toothbrush and start cleaning. Every time you snack on something, make sure you clean the teeth afterwards.
Food particles tend to get stuck in the archwire and around the brackets, so use your interdental brush to reach them. Don’t forget to be thorough and don’t rush. Gently floss the teeth and look after your gums.
Pick out the right toothbrush, mouthwash and floss
In order to have proper oral hygiene, you must have the right tools for it. From the toothbrush to the toothpaste, floss and mouthwash, there’s a whole arsenal of oral hygiene tools that need to be just right for your teeth in order to keep them clean.
Your orthodontist will recommend you the best equipment, so feel free to consult them on any topic regarding your teeth.
Cleaning out all the nooks and crannies between the teeth and the brackets and wires is especially tricky, which is why you’ll need the best cleaning tools that will help you reach even the farthest of corners.
It’s paramount that you consult the best orthodontist about the mouthwash and toothpaste because only certain brands won’t have bright red or green dyes that can discolour the metal materials or the removable elastics of your braces.
Avoid sticky and crunchy food
Another important step in maintaining your mouth clean and braces safe is choosing your foods.
Namely, anything that’s sticky, crunchy and hard to bite on should be avoided at any cost.
Gummy candy, caramels, nuts and anything similar can either get stuck to your braces and become very difficult to clean, or it can damage your braces beyond repair.
The wires need to stay intact if you want your teeth to become straight soon enough.
Every time a wire breaks, you put your gums and teeth in jeopardy. Therefore, it’s a much better choice to stick to easily chewable foods.
Go for a healthy diet
Instead of reaching out for wire-damaging food, we suggest you reach out for healthy alternatives.
Your teeth, gums and alveolar bones will need a high level of nutrients all the way through the braces-wearing period.
Drinking milk after meals will cut down on the acid that stays in your mouth for a long time after you’ve finished eating.
Leafy greens are good for your immune system but also very beneficial for your teeth as they contain high levels of calcium and folic acid. A box of raisins a day will prevent cavities.
Final thoughts
Wearing braces can be a long and daunting process, so you should do everything in your power to make it as less a hassle as possible.
You can easily do it by taking care of your dental hygiene and following all the recommendations about keeping the wires whole and teeth stain free.
With the aforementioned tips, you’ll take great care of your teeth and have a pearly white smile in no time.
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