Taking care of your braces is an essential part of your oral hygiene routine to ensure the success of your treatment. Neglecting your braces can lead to all sorts of dental problems, including plaque buildup, dental decay, and cavities. It can also increase treatment time before you can get your braces removed. You can protect your investment of a beautiful smile by learning to take care of your braces and using various tips and tricks.
How To Take Care Of Braces
Dental hygiene with braces starts with frequent brushing of your teeth and braces. You should brush your teeth twice daily, as you normally would in the morning and before bedtime. However, with braces, brushing your teeth after meals is beneficial to remove any trapped food particles caught on the brackets and bands.
It is equally important to floss your teeth and braces at least once a day before bedtime. If you find it difficult to use regular dental floss, consider getting floss threaders for braces instead.
In addition to daily oral care, taking care of braces involves keeping up with your orthodontist appointments. These routine visits are important because they allow you to share any concerns with your orthodontist while they check to see how your treatment is progressing. Your orthodontist will also adjust the braces to ensure treatment continues on schedule.
Braces Tips And Care Routine: Clear Braces
Clear braces require some similar and some different care routines compared to traditional braces, such as:
- Use an antibacterial soap to wash and clean the aligners
- Rinse the aligners in cold water whenever you take them out and before putting them back in
- Always remove your aligners before eating and drinking anything except water
- Always brush your teeth after eating
- Always rinse your mouth after drinking beverages before putting the aligners back in
- Use an approved cleaning solution every several days to soak the aligners to remove excess bacteria and keep them clean
- Always change your next set of aligners on schedule to keep your treatment progressing
- Never use hot water to clean the aligners
- Never store your aligners in the storage tray where it gets excessively hot, like in the car
- Inform your orthodontist immediately if your aligners get damaged
- Always wear your aligners for the required number of hours each day
What Are The Do’s And Don’ts Of Traditional Braces?
Traditional braces tips and care routines require remembering several do’s and don’ts, including:
- Do maintain good oral hygiene habits
- Do wear your retainer for the required number of hours each day
- Do wear headgear as instructed by your orthodontist
- Do wear protective mouthguards and faceguards when playing sports
- Do see your orthodontist immediately if wires break or bands come off
- Don’t eat hard, chewy, and sticky foods like popcorn, taffy, gummies, chewing gum, and nuts
- Don’t bite your nails, chew on pens and pencils, or use your teeth to open objects
- Don’t skip your routine checkups and follow-up appointments
- Don’t pick at the brackets or wires with your fingers or any other object
How Can I Protect My Braces?
Protecting your braces is not difficult. You should always use a mouthguard or faceguard when playing sports to protect your mouth from injury and your braces from being broken and damaged.
You should also avoid brushing with excessive force. Excess force is not only bad for your teeth but can also break the metal wires and brackets and cause the bands to come off. Most importantly, avoid eating hard, crunchy, and sticky foods.
For clear aligners and Invisalign, you should always carry your aligner storage container with you. This way, you can safely store your aligners away while you eat or drink. It is also recommended to carry a toothbrush and a small travel-size tube. Brushing is important because you need to brush your teeth after eating before putting the aligners back in.
Should I Brush My Braces?
Yes, you should brush your traditional braces several times a day as recommended by your orthodontist. For clear aligners, you should avoid brushing them with excessive force. It is acceptable to rinse them with cold water and use a soft-bristled toothbrush to gently brush them to remove trapped food particles inside the aligners. However, you should avoid using toothpaste to brush clean aligners as it can leave scratches that attract cavity-causing bacteria.
What Is The Best Age To Get Braces?
The best age to get braces is tween or teen. Correcting overcrowding and alignment issues to get straight teeth is easier when we are younger. However, braces are not just for tweens and teens. Adults can get braces at any age if they miss out on getting the beautiful smile they wanted when they were younger.
Find Affordable Braces At Absolute Dental Today
It is easy to find affordable braces at Absolute Dental. We have office locations throughout the Las Vegas and Reno areas that provide complete dental and orthodontic services. We also offer several different brace options, including traditional braces with clear or colored bands, invisible braces, and Invisalign.
Check out our current dental specials and discounts for added savings on braces. You can also join our Smile Saver program for up to 50% savings on braces. Get braces now to achieve the beautiful smile you deserve.
Sources:
A Quick Guide to Getting Braces. (2023).