Webster Groves, MO Dentist Shares Five Tips for Brushing with Braces
To optimize the benefits of braces for your appearance and oral health, you have to know how to brush your teeth effectively. This five helpful tips will give you the best possible smile that you can have with your braces!
1. There are always a lot of options when you go the store to buy a toothbrush. Usually people go with the cheapest one. But when it comes to brushing with braces you need to be specific about your choice. If you want to keep your teeth white while the metal guards are still on, go with an electric toothbrush that has a small head and soft bristles. Another good option is an interdental toothbrush. Choose wisely.
2. While you are at the oral health aisle picking the right toothbrush for your braces, make sure you pick up the right toothpaste and mouth wash as well. Go with a toothpaste that is heavy in fluoride.
That kind of toothpaste and an antiseptic mouthwash protect your enamel to keep your teeth healthy.
3. When you are brushing with braces, you may feel that you need to overdo it a little to more effectively clean. You may think that its efficient, but it is actually doing more harm than good to your teeth. Toothbrush abrasion can lead to receding or infected gums and can chip away at the tooth enamel. No need to put all your elbow grease into brushing, too much power is a bad thing. This leads us to our next helpful tip, the process in which you should brush with braces.
4. If you master this rhythm you are sure to keep your teeth clean and way cleaner than they would be if you stuck with your pre-braces routine. First rinse your mouth with water to eradicate any loose bits of food. Then you are going to want to turn the faucet on hot and stick your toothbrush under so any food that could possibly be left on the brush is removed as well. Angle your brush at 45 degrees and start brushing. You don’t need to go any longer, the normal two minutes is fine, but instead of doing it side to side brush in small circles instead. After you are done brushing go straight to your mouthwash for fluoride. The mouth wash after is essential.
5. Without braces, people usually replace their toothbrushes around every three months. Which is perfectly fine. But while you are a patient of long term orthodontics, you are going to want to replace your brush once a month. The braces are harder to deal with for the toothbrush because it has to deal with cleaning teeth and metal instead of just teeth so make sure that you replace your brush often. Follow these five steps and you are sure to have a healthy mouth with braces.
Need to schedule an appointment with a leading Webster Groves, MO dentist? Give our office a call today at (314) 962-2747, or click here to request one online.
