Brushing
Patients wearing braces need to be ever vigilant when it comes to keeping their braces, teeth and gums clean. By following your orthodontist’s instructions on oral hygiene and avoiding certain foods, you can maintain healthy teeth and a beautiful smile that will last a lifetime.
Whether you are wearing Invisalign, clear braces, metal braces, or lingual (iBraces) good hygiene and healthy gums will allow for optimum tooth movement.
Now that you have braces, your teeth are more difficult to clean, so you have to be very careful to keep those new braces clean. You should brush your teeth properly after every meal and snack. Always keep your toothbrush handy, you should even be brushing at school or work after lunch. You will also need to replace your toothbrush more often, since the braces will make it wear out quicker.
Flossing
Flossing at least once a day will help keep your orthodontic appliance clean and your gums healthy.
Rinsing
An antiseptic dental rinse can aid in soothing and healing irritations and inflammations caused by orthodontic appliances. A mouth rinse can also remove food debris between teeth and braces.
Interdental
An interdental toothbrush can be used to clean areas under wires and between braces that a regular toothbrush may miss.
Retainer
It is best to brush your retainer as often as you brush your teeth as plaque and food particles can build up on your retainer over time. You should soak your retainer in denture cleaning solution once a day.
