Tips on Keeping Braces Clean

Shiny, clean braces allow the teeth to move faster
Clean teeth and gums do not allow bacteria to grow. Bacteria eat leftover food, make acid as a by-product, then literally go the the bathroom in your mouth. The body’s immune (defense) system responds by bringing in extra blood cells which cause swelling of the gums. This pressure is directly opposite the pressure of tooth movement.

Clean teeth move more comfortably
Swollen gums that occur from dirty teeth create pressure that the body uses to signal you with pain to alert you to the insult. People who keep their braces spotlessly clean rarely complain of pain.

Braces are harder to clean than plain teeth
The normal smooth surface of teeth is somewhat self-cleansing. Not only have we created multiple food traps, the presence of brackets on your teeth now prevents the muscular action of cheeks, lips and tongue from cleansing these surfaces. This requires you to brush every time you eat anything.

It will now take longer to brush
You have more places where food collects, so you can’t expect to do a good job in the same amount of time as before.

Divide your mouth into quarters (quadrants) like dentists do
Spend 30 seconds brushing each quarter of your mouth, two minutes total. Otherwise, you’ll be tempted to spend more time on the upper front teeth and miss everything else.

Close your teeth together to brush the outsides
Most people miss the gum-line of die upper back and lower front teeth because they brush with their mouth wide open – causing the cheeks to tighten against the upper back teeth and the lower lip to cover the lower gum-line.

Look at the gums after brushing
You be the dentist. Do an honest evaluation. Clean braces are not cloudy; they sparkle.

Consider mouth cleaning aids:
a. More frequent dental cleanings. We recommend getting your teeth cleaned at the dentist’s three or four times each year. Although we check your teeth during orthodontic visits, we are looking for tooth positions and not necessarily for cavities. The increased cleanings help keep your investment in your teeth straight and beautiful.

b.Fluoride. Use the concentrated fluoride toothpaste we prescribe and consider a fluoride mouth wash. Fluoride strengthens enamel. Even though you may be a good brusher and have no decay problems, braces make your job harder, so it’s wise to use these inexpensive, safe aids to ensure decay prevention.

c. Manual toothbrushes with small heads and soft bristles work best because the small heads can be turned to fit even the most crooked teeth. Soften the bristles even further by running hot water on them before brushing, to make them flexible and kind to delicate gum tissue.

d. Electric toothbrushes work well, if you choose a good one. The Rota-dent toothbrush has a small tip that fits under the wires and between brackets well and also lasts long.

e. Flossing is critical for avoiding ugly puffy gums that are even harder to clean under. We provide a flossing aid called the “Floss-Popper”. Cleaning under the gums with the floss at least once daily will avoid this problem.