More than 4 million people in the United States wear braces alone, and if you're one of them, it's important that you learn how to take care of your braces while you have them. Braces are meant to improve your dental health, but if you don't take care of them, they might end up doing more harm than good. But how should you go about taking care of your braces? All you need to do is follow a few important braces tips. Keep reading and learn more about braces care below.
Brush Your Teeth on a Regular Basis
Brushing your teeth may seem like an obvious thing to do for your dental health, but many people don't brush their teeth as often as they need to. When you have braces, it becomes absolutely essential to brush your teeth on a regular basis. If you only brush your teeth once a day or once every other day, you will find that your dental health will start to suffer as a result.
This is because food can easily get stuck behind and between your braces. If this happens and you don't dislodge the food with a toothbrush, bacteria will flock to those food particles and start to degrade them. These strains of oral bacteria produce acid as a byproduct.
After some time, this acid will start to break down your tooth enamel. You won't notice this at first, as it is a gradual process, but you will eventually start to exhibit signs of tooth sensitivity and decay. For example, as your tooth enamel starts to become thinner and thinner, you may find it painful to eat or drink hot or cold substances.
The Details
This is because you will no longer have enough tooth enamel to protect the sensitive tissues and nerves inside your teeth. Besides tooth sensitivity, your teeth will also become discolored if you don't brush them. In particular, your braces may cause little white stains on the surface of your teeth.
Once you develop these stains, they can be very hard to remove. For that reason, it is very important that you brush your teeth at least twice a day. It is best to brush after eating a meal.
That way, you can remove any food particles that get stuck in your braces right away before they have the chance to wreak havoc on your dental health.
Don’t Forget to Floss
When you get braces, flossing is still just as important as when you don't have braces. Many people know that flossing is important for their dental health, but many still don't floss on a regular basis. Flossing while you have braces is very important for a variety of reasons.
In particular, it is important to prevent the development of tartar. Tartar is a hard white or yellowish substance that develops at the base of your teeth. Once it develops, it is so hard that it is hard to remove unless you go to a dentist who will then use special tools to pick away at this substance.
Tartar is harmful to your dental health because it can irritate your gums and cause gum disease. Tartar is derived from dental plaque. Dental plaque is created by certain strains of bacteria that live in your mouth.
Dental plaque is quite soft compared to tartar. In fact, it is a sticky substance that covers your teeth. You can easily brush and floss away this substance soon after it forms.
What You Need to Know
However, if you leave it untouched, it will eventually harden and turn into tartar. Flossing can ensure that tartar never forms. Besides that, flossing also makes it less likely for cavities to form between your teeth.
When you brush your teeth, you're only able to reach certain surfaces of your teeth, but not all of them. Flossing on a regular basis ensures that you're able to reach all sides of your teeth and remove food lodged between your teeth and braces. It is best to stand in front of a mirror when flossing so you know how well you're flossing and what dental surfaces you're reaching for.
It is also a good idea to rinse your mouth with water after flossing so no food particles remain in your mouth.
Watch What You Eat
When you have braces, it is important to be careful with what kinds of food you eat. This is because some types of food can get more easily stuck in your braces than others. There are even some types of food that can damage your braces.
For example, nuts are dangerous to eat while you have braces because they are very hard. If you're not careful, chewing on nuts could break the wires of your braces. This, of course, would render your braces useless, and you would have to go to your dentist to have them repaired.
Eating sticky candy like caramel or toffee is also not a good idea. This type of candy can get tangled up in your braces and can be very difficult to clean out, even when brushing and flossing.
Braces Tips You Should Follow
When you have braces, it is important to follow certain braces tips to keep your dental health and your braces in good shape. For example, you should brush after eating a meal so that food doesn't get caught in your braces and cause dental problems. You should also remember to floss at least once every day and ensure that you eat foods that won't damage your braces or your teeth. To learn more, check out our treatment options here.
