Tip 1 Brushing

While proper oral health is important for a healthy smile it is even more necessary to ensure a healthy mouth while wearing braces. Why is this? Because brackets and wires can trap food particles and harbor bacteria that lead to tooth decay and gum disease. We advise brushing your teeth every time you eat, including meals and snacks, instead of just twice a day. You can use a manual toothbrush or an electric/battery powered toothbrush, whichever works best for you. Be sure to use a soft-bristled brush, and carefully clean each tooth around the brackets and gumline. Start with the gumline, then brush up and down around each bracket. Rinse thoroughly to make sure all oral debris is removed.

Tip 2 Flossing

Once your pearly whites have been properly cleaned with brushing, be sure to floss–at the very least once each day. Clean the areas between the teeth as well as the tooth surfaces under the wires. Find a flossing method that works best for you, and use it! You can use waxed dental floss, a threaded floss, an oral irrigator, an interdental brush or an orthodontic floss which is specifically designed to clean around brackets and wires.

If you are snacking at work, or dining out for lunch and forgot a toothbrush, you can remove food particles and debris after eating by rinsing well with water or mouthwash. Of course, follow up with a thorough tooth brushing as soon as you are able.

A beautiful smile can be yours if you follow good oral hygiene habits while wearing braces. If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Jaime Rivera in El Paso, Texas, please give us a call at 915-592-5853 today. Our Rivera Orthodontics team looks forward to helping you!

The post Are You Cleaning Your Smile Properly While Wearing Braces? first appeared on Rivera Orthodontics.

If you’re having issues flossing between teeth and around the gum line, you might want to try using a floss threader with waxed dental floss. This is a simple loop-shaped tool that can help work floss around wires and other hardware. Using waxed dental floss makes it easier to slide the strand into tight places.

Interdental brushes have small-angled brush heads that can help clean between wires and brackets as well as remove food particles from the contours near the gum line. They can be very helpful for clearing away small food particles from around bands and spacers.

Dental water jets and oral irrigators produce a concentrated stream of water that can help loosen and wash away food particles from hard-to-reach places. Just keep in mind that it cannot replace flossing.

If you have questions about the tools and techniques to help clean and maintain your braces in El Paso, Texas, please feel free to call your Rivera Orthodontics orthodontist, Dr. Jaime Rivera, at 915-592-5853 for further advice. Together we will help you create a healthy, aligned, more confident smile!

The post How to Clean around Your Braces for Optimal Oral Hygiene first appeared on Rivera Orthodontics.