Easy Ways to Keep Your Braces Clean
Posted on: 28 April 2016
When you have braces, you will need to be careful about what you eat and how you care for them. Keeping them clean is sometimes a challenge in the beginning, but with these tips, you will be well on your way to clean and well maintained braces.
Rinse Your Mouth More Often
One of the simplest ways to keep your braces clean between meals is to rinse your mouth often. You may not always have access to a toothbrush or dental floss, but you can always rinse away food debris. Rinsing is also an easy way to get rid of debris that is caught in between the brackets, which are sometimes hard to remove. Before you brush your teeth, rinse your mouth with water, swishing it around to loosen the debris. You should also use a fluoride oral rinse before bed to protect your teeth while wearing the braces.
Lean How to Brush Your Teeth
You will need to learn the proper method for brushing your teeth and in between the braces in order to keep them clean. If you leave food debris in the brackets or between your teeth, it can lead to tooth decay, which you definitely want to avoid. You will be able to brush your teeth by holding the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle, which helps you reach in between the brackets and really clean your teeth well. It takes some repositioning when cleaning different parts of your teeth, such as angling the toothbrush up to get under the brackets and wires to clean the surface of the teeth.
Be Careful What You Eat
The foods you choose to eat can determine exactly how clean your braces are, and what is happening to the teeth beneath them. For example, try to avoid hard, sticky foods when wearing braces. These foods can get caught inside the metal brackets and might even crack them if you bite down too hard. When the food gets caught, it becomes almost impossible to clean them fully. Some foods to avoid include any type of caramel or taffy candy, hard candy, nuts and seeds, chunky peanut butter, and any other foods that are extra sticky. If you want to eat popcorn, try to find a hull-less variety since it isn't hard on your braces. While there are some hard foods you can eat, like apples and carrots, you still need to practice caution. For the most part, cutting foods into smaller pieces instead of biting directly into it is a better option.
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