What are the top benefits of having straight teeth?
Straight teeth can boost your self-esteem, plus they offer all sorts of health benefits. Instead of stressing your jaw out, you’ll be distributing the pressure evenly with each bite.
It’s motivating to keep the end goal in mind when wearing braces. Before you know it, you’ll have a super straight smile; that can help you get the most out of life! However, you’re not going to be able to enjoy your newly aligned bite if you don’t know how to brush your teeth with braces.
What are the best tips and tricks for cleaning your teeth when you have braces? Read on to find out.
Brushing with Braces after Eating
Let’s face it; most people don’t brush their teeth after every meal. But taking action after every meal will go a long way towards keeping your mouth clean. Even if you don’t do a full-on brushing session, every little bit helps.
For instance, you can invest in some handy floss picks to help get the food that might be stuck in your braces. A quick flossing session after every meal or snack will go a long way towards preventing plaque buildup.
Brush a Little Bit Longer
How long do you usually brush your teeth? We recommend brushing your teeth for at least 2 minutes. However, it can be challenging to reach each tooth surface when you have braces.
We suggest going the extra minute and setting a timer for 3 to 4 minutes. To make brushing even easier, consider getting Invisalign braces instead of traditional ones.
You’ll also want to avoid over brushing since it can wear on your tooth enamel. But spending about 60 seconds longer to cover every tooth surface will help you avoid pesky cavities.
Removing Trapped Food in Braces
Using a toothpick or a floss pick is great for getting trapped food in braces. However, when you’re preparing to perform your oral hygiene routine, you’ll need to include detailed flossing sessions.
What does this mean exactly? Floss pics don’t give you the advantage you need when it comes to getting in between the brackets of your braces.
Instead, you will need to buy specially made floss with a hard point on the end (or purchase a separate flosser). The hard point of the flosser will help you drive the floss through the bracket.
As you floss your teeth, remember to use a c-shaped motion. The c-shaped movement should pull away from your tooth as you remove plaque and buildup.
Have the Right Toothbrush
You should also learn how to brush your teeth with braces, using the right type of toothbrush. What kind of toothbrush is the best kind for braces? A soft one!
A soft bristle toothbrush will help keep your teeth clean without wearing down the tooth enamel. We suggest taking things one step further by getting a soft bristle electric toothbrush. Electric toothbrushes will be able to give you the power you need to get a truly clean mouth.
As a bonus, many electric toothbrushes now come with timers and Bluetooth capabilities. That’s right! Bluetooth is now in toothbrushes.
You’ll be able to connect your toothbrush to an app on your phone to see your daily oral hygiene habits. The app can even help you determine what areas of your mouth need extra attention.
The 2-minute timer will help you know when to move from one quadrant of your mouth to the next. Make sure you buy a name-brand electric tooth brush with good ratings, otherwise it won’t be able to get the job done right.
Clean Your Tongue Daily
Did you know that all sorts of bacteria sit on the top of your tongue? When you have braces, it becomes extra important to get rid of that bacteria so it doesn’t wind up hiding within the metal of your braces.
To stay on top of tongue hygiene, you’ll want to brush your tongue after brushing your teeth. If you buy an electric toothbrush, it’ll probably have a unique tongue brushing mode. You can also keep your tongue, and the entire inside of your mouth extra clean, by using mouthwash.
Adding a Fluoride Rinse to Braces Maintenance
Adding mouthwash to your dental hygiene routine will help you have clean breath while also protecting your teeth! You won’t have to worry about the mouthwash damaging your braces since they’re designed to withstand all sorts of ingredients.
We recommend using a fluoride rinse mouthwash. You can even look for mouthwashes specially made to help with your orthodontic needs.
For instance, you could find a mouth that includes fluoride and antibacterial properties. It’s also a good idea to look for alcohol-free options so you don’t wind up irritating your mouth.
Alcohol can wind up drying your mouth out, contributing to bad breath and cavity problems. Since wearing braces can make your teeth extra sensitive, the tingling sensation that alcohol provides can also be undesirable.
Don’t Overdo It on the Toothpaste
Before loading your toothbrush up with toothpaste, double-check the product’s instructions. A lot of toothpaste will recommend using a pea-sized amount or smaller.
If you wind up overdoing it on the toothpaste, it’ll be difficult for you to notice what areas of your teeth need more attention. This is especially true if you’re using toothpaste that creates foam. To overcome this problem, we suggest first brushing with a wet toothbrush.
You’ll be able to thoroughly clean around all of the wires and brackets, one at a time. After the initial cleaning, you can go ahead and add the toothpaste to your toothbrush and continue!
Drink Lots of Water
Water doesn’t only keep you healthy and hydrated; it can also help keep your teeth clean. If you don’t already know, find out the recommended amount of water intake for someone your age.
Sipping on straight H2O will help rinse away food particles that could be carrying cavity-causing acids. We suggest using a reusable water bottle to always have it with you.
If you’re fond of ice water and your teeth aren’t cold-sensitive, go ahead and get a thermal-regulated cup. A stainless steel option that can keep your ice icy for hours will be the most refreshing option.
Understanding How to Brush Your Teeth with Braces
There you have it! The ins and outs of learning how to brush your teeth with braces. Braces will add a bit of extra work to your oral hygiene routine—but there well worth the effort.
Here at Katy Gentle Dentists, we care about more than just your teeth. By putting your overall health at the forefront of our operation, we can provide you with some of the best choices for dental care and services. Reach out to us today to see how our preventative family and cosmetic dentistry services can help you smile brighter.