Practicing good oral hygiene is always important for keeping your smile healthy. But it’s especially important during the months you’re wearing braces. Without properly caring for your smile during your orthodontic treatment, you risk harming the teeth you’re putting time and money into straightening.
Don’t let poor oral hygiene habits keep you from having the straight, white smile you’ve always wanted. Thankfully, there are only a few extra steps you need to take. Follow these tips to help ensure your teeth stay clean and healthy during braces treatment:
Brush Twice a Day You still need to brush your teeth every day, even if most of the surfaces of your teeth are covered by braces. Ideally, you should be brushing your teeth after every meal to ensure no food debris stuck in your braces remains there long-term.
Remember to Floss We all know the importance of brushing teeth twice a day to remove plaque and food debris. But flossing is an important step in your oral hygiene routine that you don’t want to miss. Whether using a water flosser or regular dental floss, completing this task every day helps remove particles from between your teeth and behind the wire.
Watch What You Eat Unfortunately, there are certain foods that you should avoid during your orthodontic treatment. To maintain a well-balanced diet, be sure to cut hard foods like fresh fruits and veggies into bite-sized pieces before eating. Also refrain from eating foods that are sugary, sticky, or chewy as they could damage the brackets and wires.
Complete Your Check-Ups A normal part of your orthodontic treatment is check-ups to ensure your teeth and braces are healthy and to tighten the wires. Skipping these appointments will leave you in braces for much longer as your teeth will not straighten without your dentist’s help.
Schedule Your Appointment
If you are concerned you might not be taking care of your teeth properly with braces, Schedule your Consultation in our Dental Offices in Phoenix, AZ to learn more from our dentists.
