Getting braces is exciting for most pre-teens and teenagers that want to make their smiles look their best-and with the amount of money that orthodontics cost, you want to make sure that you child is taking care of their teeth and appliances, too. Most kids can expect to wear their braces for at least twelve to eighteen months, and some much longer. After you get braces, your orthodontist will go over basic dental hygiene with you. When you follow these guidelines, you can make sure you are taking proper care of your teeth. Here are some important tips for keeping your orthodontic work clean.
Brushing: You can never brush too many times when you have orthodontic work. You might just have spacers, retainers, or a full set of braces. Whatever you have, you have to make sure you are brushing after every time you eat. Braces and other orthodontic work are food traps. When you eat, you can be sure that some of the food will get stuck. Without proper brushing, those food particles can cause tooth decay and swollen and sore gums. You might even want to consider using a special fluoride rinse that you can use in addition to brushing. There are even special toothbrushes that work very well with braces.
Flossing: Yes, you do have to floss when you have braces. Many people mistakenly think that since they can't get the floss in between their teeth, that they no longer have to floss. This is not true and without flossing you can get a lot of food left in between your teeth. The best way to floss with braces is to use a special tool called a "proxabrush". These little brushes look similar to a mini-bottle brush. These are made especially for cleaning down in between braces. It is recommended that you use this flossing technique every time you brush.
Regular Dental Check Ups: When you have orthodontic work, you will be visiting your orthodontist on a regular basis, usually once a month. You should remember that these do not take the place of your regular dental check ups with your dentist. You will still need to visit your dentist for cleanings, x-rays and check ups twice a year. Your orthodontist will not be able to detect small cavities; your dentist must do this.
Eating the Right Foods: When you have braces, your wires and brackets can break quite easily. Therefore, you should be aware of the foods you eat while you have braces. Your orthodontist will recommend that you stay away from hard foods that can break or damage your orthodontic work such as hard crackers, pretzels, hard pizza crusts and stick foods like caramel and bubble gum (although some orthodontist will tell you that sugar free gum is okay). If you like eating fresh fruit such as apples, you should slice them in bite-sized pieces before eating.
Braces are made to make your teeth nice and straight. You will want to make sure you are taking the proper steps to care for your teeth and your orthodontic work.
