How to Take Care of Braces – Diet and Cleaning Instructions

braces

The brackets of the braces are glued to the teeth using a dental bonding agent, which is strong enough to keep the brackets secured for as long as 18 months to 24 months. 

However, when you’re not very serious about caring for your braces, it can lead to your brackets separating from your teeth, and this will require you to go to your dentist to get the problem fixed. 

When on braces, it is extremely important that you eat carefully as certain foods may disturb the alignment of the braces. And in addition to that, proper care must be taken when cleaning your teeth. Here are a few tips to help you.

Choose the Right Toothbrush

When on braces, it helps when you use a toothbrush with thinner, softer, and smaller bristles that make it easier to target food particles that are stuck to the brackets or wires. Not only that, but these bristles also easily reach the spaces between brackets. You can ask your orthodontist North Vancouver for toothbrush recommendations as per your requirements. Looking for added features such as a tongue cleaning back, a good grip, etc. will be of help.

Flossing

When your toothbrush fails to reach certain spots that are hard to reach, flossing makes up for it and gives you an intensive cleaning. Not only is flossing important, you should also ask your dentist for directions as to how to floss the right way, and if your child has braces, you should teach them how to floss without hurting their gums or dislodging the brackets.

If you check out this dentist in Valencia, they will also tell you that you can use interdental brushes to clean your braces aside from flossing.

Brushing After Meals

One of the commitments that come with having braces is brushing after each meal. When you skip brushing your teeth even once after a meal, you will easily notice a buildup. To quantify, you should ideally brush three times a day to keep your braces clean.

Substitutes for Favorite Foods

When you’re on braces, having gummy candies, chewing gums and hard and crunchy foods becomes impossible. While adults easily deal with this restriction for 12 to 18 months, it gets very difficult for kids to resist cravings. This is when substitutes such as fruit ice creams, soft chicken nuggets instead of crunchy strips, and fruits juices and shakes instead of soft drinks can keep them happy while caring for their teeth and braces.

Dental Checkups

Regular dental checkups will help you keep a check on your progress as well as identify any dental issues right at the initial stages so that steps can be taken to handle them. Therefore, make it a point to prioritize your dental visits every month no matter what other commitments you have.

While deciding to get braces and making that investment itself sounds like a big task, what completes your treatment and maximizes the outcomes is how well you take care of your oral hygiene and follow a proper diet that not only helps you keep healthy, but does so without dislodging your brackets or impacting the quality of the braces and wires.