How To Take Care Of Your Teeth When You Have Braces
Traditional metal braces continue to remain one of the best ways for patients to straighten their teeth and correct other oral issues like a misaligned jaw. If your dentist recently recommended that you get braces to help transform your smile, then you may be wondering how it's going to change your ever day life. Because you will have to make some changes to ensure that your braces do their job properly, there are a few things that you should know regarding how you can take better care of your teeth.
Avoid Certain Foods
One word: popcorn. You may have heard it once and you're going to hear it until the day that you get your braces taken off, but eating foods like popcorn aren't necessarily recommended for patients who have braces. Why? Popcorn can get lodged in between your brackets or in between your teeth which can cause things to shift around or it can just be a bit difficult to get the kernels out from in between everything.
Other foods to consider avoiding include those that are really sticky like caramels and taffy. A good rule of thumb is to think about the mess you're going to have to clean up after eating the food and then decide whether or not it's worth it.
Get a Water Flosser
Water flossers can change your life when you have a mouth that's entirely full of braces. Unlike traditional dental floss where you have to weave the floss in between your teeth (something that can feel impossible when you have braces), a water flosser works by using pressurized water to clean in between not only your teeth, but your wires and brackets. Plus, if you have sore or tender gums, filling the flosser with warm water can help massage your gums and hopefully help you find some relief.
Brush After Every meal
The great thing about toothbrushes is that they are portable. While you may not want to brush your teeth in a public restroom or at the office after lunch, brushing your teeth after every meal will help you avoid cavities and will also help keep your braces in as good of shape as possible. When choosing a toothbrush, ask your dentist if a medium bristle tooth brush is a better choice because it is more abrasive to use against your dental wires.
To learn more, reach out to your orthodontist today.
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