Thursday, March 22, 2012

The Importance of Brushing with Braces:



You hear all the time from your dentist how important it is to keep your teeth clean...but why does your orthodontist push you each visit to maintain these excellent oral hygiene habits?  It may sound a bit over dramatic, but we kid you not when we say that plaque is one of your greatest enemies.  When you ad the additional surface area and angles of braces to your teeth, plaque finds even tinier nooks and crannies to hide in and wreak havoc on your unprotected teeth.  

Plaque is a film composed of saliva, food and bacteria that coat your teeth.  If it is allowed to remain on your teeth and around your orthodontic appliances, you could be plagued with bad breath, swollen gums, cavities and even permanent stains on your teeth.

In order for your orthodontic treatment to be a success, it is important to understand that the end results depend directly on the teamwork between you, your dentist and your orthodontist.  Because you are the one who has daily interaction with your teeth and gums, you are the MVP on this team!  It may seem tedious at times, but trust us when we say that a little extra work on your part now will save you many headaches, (and toothaches for that matter), in the future!

We highly recommend that you brush after every meal, but if this is impossible, try to always rinse your mouth with water at the very least after every snack or meal if you don't have a toothbrush handy.  Travel toothbrushes are so easy to come by at your standard convenience stores, and now you can even find disposable single-use brushes that make oral hygiene on-the-go even easier!  Flossing every night before bed is also recommended for good measure - you don't want to miss those little spaces hiding between your teeth, do you?  What's the use of straightening your teeth if you neglect your gums?

Please visit our “How to Brush and Floss with Braces” for some additional helpful tips!

3 comments:

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  2. Hi, nice post.Well what can I say is that these is an interesting and very informative topic. Thanks for sharing. Cheers!

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  3. When they brush their teeth, it is recommended that they use a pea-sized amount of fluoridated toothpaste, and that they should brush for a period of two minutes. It is important to also teach kids to brush their tongue and to gently brush their gums as well.

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