Having braces is not an excuse not to maintain proper dental hygiene. In fact, it is the more reason to make sure that your mouth is kept clean at all times.
While braces are meant to improve your dental structure, neglecting your oral routine or even doing it wrongly while wearing braces can lead to dental complications such as plaque, root canals, bad breath. But how do you clean your teeth while wearing braces? Here are 7 tips to help you clean your teeth properly while wearing braces:
Find the right toothbrush: While some people prefer toothbrushes with stiff bristles, it is one item you should avoid while wearing braces. Stiff toothbrushes can bend or break the brackets off of your teeth. It can also cause further irritation to your already irritated gums. To avoid any of these from happening, you should stick to using toothbrushes with soft bristles while wearing braces. This will also provide better molding around the brackets, allowing you to properly remove food debris from the crevices. Soft
Pick Your Teeth First, then Brush: To ensure that food debris and plaque are removed around the braces, it’s advisable to start the cleaning process with picking. Apart from guaranteeing better cleaning, picking preserves your braces from damage that may occur from too much scrubbing. After picking you can use a toothbrush with soft bristles to gently clean the upper part of the teeth.
Do Not Rush the Cleaning Process: Normally, it is important to dedicate at least two minutes to clean your teeth. This becomes even more important if you are wearing braces. The essential thing is not the timing but making sure that you spend enough time to remove food debris buried underneath and between the brackets. Also, rushing may lead to hard scrubbing which may bend, or break the braces
If Possible, Do not Rinse in the Night: While it is important to get as much foam as possible out of your mouth in the morning, it is safer to leave a little of it in your mouth after brushing in the night. The little amount of fluoride that will linger in your mouth will help to protect your teeth for a longer period. So you may consider not rinsing after brushing at night.
Consider Buying an Electronic Toothbrush: Though a standard toothbrush and toothpaste with fluoride are enough to get your teeth cleaned even while wearing braces, investing in an electronic brush will help you clean better in a shorter amount of time. Some electronic toothbrushes vibrate and have a timer, allowing for a more thorough cleaning than you can achieve doing it manually.
Conclusion
To ensure that you do not develop cavities and other dental complications while wearing braces, you should endeavor to clean properly following the tips we have highlighted.
