When wearing braces, oral hygiene becomes even more important. Thorough dental care not only helps prevent gum inflammation, plaque, and staining, but also ensures that at the end of your orthodontic treatment, your smile will be beautiful and radiant. In this article, you’ll learn how to properly brush your teeth, what tools to use, and helpful tips to ensure smooth braces wear.
Why is proper dental care important when wearing braces?
Braces help us achieve beautiful, straight teeth, but they also present additional challenges for oral care. Even without braces, many people struggle to properly maintain their teeth and clean hard-to-reach areas. When wearing braces, food particles and plaque often accumulate in hard-to-reach spaces around the brackets, bands, and wires. Plaque buildup can give your teeth a yellow or brown tint and lead to bad breath. It also significantly increases the risk of tooth decay and gum disease (gingivitis). Another concern is the white spots that may appear on your teeth. These spots indicate inadequate oral care and the accumulation of plaque, which can lead to cavities.
How to properly brush your teeth with braces?
Proper brushing technique ensures that every part of your braces, tooth surface, and interdental spaces are clean. It is also essential to use fluoride toothpaste to strengthen tooth enamel and reduce the risk of cavities.
Steps for brushing your teeth:
1. Start with rinsing: Rinse your mouth with water or mouthwash to remove larger food particles.
2. Clean between teeth: If the gaps between your teeth are wide, use an interdental brush. For narrower spaces, use orthodontic dental floss with a stiff end or dental picks with floss. Due to varying interdental spaces, you may need to combine different cleaning tools. Clean the interdental surfaces 4–5 times with gentle up-and-down motions. For extra hygiene, we recommend using an irrigator.
3. Choose the right toothbrush: Use a soft-bristled toothbrush. For example, the Tromatz Pro bioelectric toothbrush is a great option.
4. Brushing your teeth: Use gentle circular or horizontal motions to clean the areas around the braces, then move on to clean the chewing and inner surfaces of your teeth. It’s especially important to remove plaque that builds up between your teeth and gums. Hold the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to the gumline, applying light pressure to ensure the bristles stay straight and don’t bend. Use vibrating motions, keeping the tips of the bristles in the same spot.
5. How often should you brush your teeth? We recommend brushing both your teeth and interdental spaces after every meal, in the morning, and before going to bed. If you don’t have the opportunity to brush after a meal, at least rinse your mouth with water. However, it is essential to thoroughly clean your teeth and interdental spaces in the morning and at night. Unless, of course, you want to treat gum and tooth inflammation after orthodontic treatment. :)
Why are bioelectric toothbrushes the best choice?
Bioelectric toothbrushes, such as the Tromatz Pro, are an excellent option for those wearing braces. They offer several advantages:
- More Effective Plaque Removal: Micro currents (10 million waves per second) help clean hard-to-reach areas that no other toothbrush can reach.
- Convenient and Easy to Use: Unlike electric toothbrushes, the Tromatz Pro bioelectric toothbrush doesn’t emit any vibrations. There is no need for additional skills or techniques, making it as easy to use as a regular toothbrush.
- Protects Enamel and Gums: The bristles of the toothbrush are soft, reducing the risk of damage to enamel and gums.
- Special Features: The Tromatz Pro has a 2.5-minute cleaning cycle, ensuring that you will brush your teeth thoroughly and responsibly.
Additional tips for dental care with braces
To ensure your teeth remain healthy throughout your braces treatment, it’s important to pay attention to other key aspects of dental care:
Dietary tips for maintaining dental health
To protect your braces and avoid damaging them, it’s recommended to avoid hard and sticky foods such as nuts, gummies, dried fruits, popcorn, hard cookies, carrots, apples, tough meats, and others. If you wish to eat harder foods like carrots, cut them into small pieces. Chewing gum should also be avoided, as it can stick to the braces and make cleaning difficult. It’s also essential to limit the intake of sugary and carbonated drinks, as they promote plaque build-up, which can lead to cavities.
Use a mouth guard
If you engage in sports or other physical activities, wear a mouth guard to protect your teeth and braces. A mouth guard helps absorb impacts and shields your teeth and gums from injuries.
Regular visits to your orthodontist and hygienist
Regular visits to your orthodontist ensure that your braces are functioning properly and help spot any potential issues early. Your hygienist also plays a crucial role in your treatment process by helping maintain oral cleanliness and health. Regular visits to the hygienist ensure that plaque and bacteria don’t accumulate in hard-to-reach areas around your braces, preventing gum diseases and cavities. Professional cleanings and hygiene advice will help you achieve the best results.