How Do I Maintain My Braces?
Maintaining good oral hygiene when you have braces can be different from taking care of teeth that have no braces. Once your dentist in Hilliard, OH installs your braces, they will probably talk to you about braces care. If you have braces on your teeth right now and still have questions about taking care of your teeth, we can help! Below are some answers to your questions.
Brush Your Braces and Teeth Twice Daily
Brushing your braces starts with a swish of water that can help loosen food particles that might otherwise be pushed deep into your braces. If there are removable elastics around your braces, you may need to remove them. Find out from your dentist if you’re expected to remove the elastics on your teeth when brushing your teeth.
Next, use a soft bristle toothbrush and nonabrasive toothpaste to clean your teeth. Angle up against the bottoms of the brackets and angle down against the top of the brackets to get the brackets themselves clean. Be gentle, as you can do damage to your braces if you brush too hard.
Floss Your Braces Daily
To floss your braces, thread the floss through the teeth above and below the brackets, to eliminate the food particles between the teeth. You can also use a water flosser to get the tight points between your teeth.
Know What Not to Eat When You Have Braces
Eating crunchy foods like certain nuts and hard candy can damage your braces. Avoid eating anything too crunchy or sticky to prevent this from happening. Your dentist will give you a more comprehensive list of foods that you should stay away from, but some examples of foods to avoid include:
- Nuts
- Hard rolls and bagels
- Chewing gum
- Sticky candies like caramels
- Hard candies like peppermints
- Pizza crust
- Popcorn
- Ice
- Hard crackers
- Hard taco shells
What to Do If Your Braces Break
If your braces become damaged, see the dentist that applied them to your teeth to get them fixed. Don’t wait, as your braces can become further damaged before you see the dentist.
Want to know more about maintaining braces in Hilliard, OH? Call Fishinger Dental today to make an appointment.
