7 Habits To Keep Your Braces Clean

Cleaning braces may prove challenging to most orthodontic patients. People with braces deal with plaque and food debris every day. The food remnants hide and slowly pile into plaque around the orthodontic hardware. The plaque biofilm digests food waste, in the process producing acid. The acids create white spots on your teeth. As complicated as it may sound, cleaning braces doesn’t have to be a formidable experience. Below are seven habits that aid in keeping your braces clean.

1. Brush your Teeth Thoroughly

While cleaning your braces, start by the exterior part of your teeth. This part is the outer surface where braces cling on to the teeth. When you do not clean this surface efficiently, plaque or acid spots are easily noticeable. For best results, brush below the brackets then above. Try your best to clean the parts covered by the wire.

The inner part is easier to clean. This is because there is no orthodontic hardware restricting brushing. As simple as it may be, you have to give it just as much attention. Food debris often piles up in this section too.

2. Use the Right Toothbrush

To clean your braces, the choice of your toothbrush is very crucial. As your regular toothbrush may do the trick, you should consider other better alternatives. For instance an electric toothbrush would clean the areas beneath the braces better. Other options include brushes designed to clean braces and spindle brushes.

3. Flossing Every Day

An interdental cleaner can get to areas that a toothbrush does not clean. With the wires blocking the tooth gaps, flossing might seem impractical. Food remnants in between your teeth is difficult to reach with your toothbrush. It is however mandatory to floss your braced teeth each day.

In the case of teeth with braces, flossing will take longer than usual. Other than the most popular floss, you can opt for floss picks. These are very convenient considering they are not time-consuming.

The water flosser is the most efficient interdental cleaner for people with braces. It cleans in between the teeth with water. People hoping to clean there braces can also use proxy brushes, triangular interdental picks, and super floss.

4. Use Fluoride Germ Killers

Individuals with braces stand a higher chance of tooth decay. This is due to the fact that cleaning teeth with braces is difficult. Your doctor can prescribe the right fluoride toothpaste to clean braces. The germ killers reduce the rate of increasing bacteria in the mouth and around orthodontic hardware. You can clean your braces with fluoride germ killers before and after they are placed.

5. Gargle Salt Water

Gargling salt water is a simple remedy that goes a long way to clean braces. Generally warm salty water reduces soreness, inflammation and pain. The solution is also an excellent cleaner. You need to initiate this habit into your daily routine. Gargle salt water once or twice a day to get rid of food pile up around your braces.

6. Separately Clean the Removable Apparatus

Plaque and food debris are notorious for sticking around your removable appliance. This means you must thoroughly clean the gadgets separately. You can incorporate these apparatus in your regular brushing process. You can also dissolve a denture-cleaning tablet in water, then soak the instruments every day. Your appliance will be free from bacteria.

7. Watch your Diet

What you eat is a vital matter concerning braces hygiene. Whole foods like nuts, apples and carrots are a no go zone. You need to reduce them into smaller pieces first. When consumed wholly, they easily accumulate as dirt at the brackets and wires. Sticky food is equally hard to clean. You can consult your doctor for the best recommendation of what to eat to keep your braces clean.

Conclusion

As you are looking forward to the perfect smile, you need to keep up with the cleaning tips. Aligning your teeth is a worthy investment. By keeping your braces clean at all times, you are sure to achieve stunning results. Flossing, brushing and eating the right foods are the most common ways to keep your braces clean. Acid spots, plaque and food debris, can be put at bay with the habits above.