Do you know how to clean your braces?

If you wear braces, it is essential that you know how to clean your brackets.

With this treatment, oral hygiene becomes even more necessary to keep your mouth free of infections and other problems.

Whether you wear braces or clear aligners, it is necessary to emphasize the correct technique so that your dental hygiene is complete.

In the case of lingual orthodontics, in which the brackets are placed on the inside of the tooth, it may seem at first that prophylaxis is somewhat more complicated.

So that you do not have any doubts about how to clean the brackets, we give you the guidelines to keep your oral cavity in optimal conditions for the duration of your orthodontic treatment.

The importance of good oral hygiene
With or without dental appliances, hygiene plays a very important preventive role against possible oral diseases.

But in the case of people who wear orthodontics, the mission of prophylaxis is even more important.

Thanks to it, the development of periodontal diseases (gingivitis in the mildest cases or periodontitis when complications occur) and caries can be avoided.

In some cases, these pathologies can jeopardize orthodontic treatment.

It is a responsibility that the patient has to assume to avoid the accumulation of bacterial plaque and tartar.

Oral hygiene with braces must be thorough and exhaustive to avoid accumulation of dental tartar in the interdental areas.

Techniques for your hygiene with braces
It does not matter if you have chosen to wear metal brackets or other types of brackets, such as sapphire brackets.

To perform a good dental cleaning with orthodontics, you must brush your teeth thoroughly.

Here are some recommendations on how to clean braces:

Brush after every meal and no more than 15 minutes after eating.

This will prevent food debris from accumulating between the brackets that could cause bacterial plaque.

It is important not to forget the tongue and palate during the brushing process.

If you are wondering how to clean your tongue, you can use a tongue scraper.

It is best to use an electric toothbrush, whose small, rotating head will make it easier to access any area of the mouth.

This type of brush will provide a deeper cleaning than a manual one.

Removes more plaque than a manual toothbrush
Enlarge image
ELECTRIC TOOTHBRUSH
It is advisable that the bristles of the toothbrush are not too hard to avoid damaging the gums.

Remember that it is advisable to always brush your teeth in the same order and in front of a mirror.

This way, you will not forget any area. Spend about 5 seconds cleaning each tooth.

Pay special attention to the gaps and interdental spaces.

Once finished, clean the toothbrush to free it from possible germs.

It is advisable to replace the toothbrush every three months.

What if I wear lingual braces?
If you have decided to choose lingual orthodontics as a treatment to correct your teeth, you should also pay attention to your hygiene.

It is an invisible and totally esthetic orthodontic method that allows you to improve your smile without affecting your image.

In addition to aesthetics, lingual orthodontics is comfortable and very effective, so you will quickly begin to notice the changes.

When it is time to brush, you will have to be more patient and put more effort into removing food debris from the inside of your teeth.

In the case of the Incognito brand of lingual orthodontics, each bracket is custom-made for each patient.

That is why there is usually not as much food left over as in the case of more traditional orthodontics.

However, this does not exempt you from following the steps mentioned above, as oral hygiene with lingual braces is equally important.

If you find it difficult to see if the brackets are indeed free of food, especially in the upper arch, you can use a small mirror.

Invisible orthodontics
Enlarge image
DENTAL CLEANING WITH LINGUAL ORTHODONTICS
Hygiene at home with clear aligners
Clear aligners are included in what is known as invisible orthodontics, together with lingual braces.

If your appliances are clear aligners, such as Invisalign, the hygiene process after each meal is much simpler.

It is a removable orthodontic system that you can take off to eat and brush your teeth.

Therefore, the hygiene routine is simplified, especially because it is an orthodontic system without brackets.

However, it is very important to clean the aligners correctly every time you remove them and before putting them back in your mouth.

ASK FOR YOUR FIRST APPOINTMENT FREE OF CHARGE
Other complements for dental cleaning with orthodontics
In the oral cavity we have nooks and crannies that are difficult for the toothbrush to reach, even if it is an electric toothbrush.

People with any type of braces have even more spaces where food can accumulate.

For this reason, dentists recommend the use of other complements that help to complete dental hygiene in a more exhaustive way:

Toothpaste and fluoride mouthwashes.
There is a wide variety of fluoride toothpastes on the market, which will favor greater resistance of the pieces against caries.

You can complete your dental hygiene by using a special mouthwash for orthodontics or one with fluoride to help prevent possible cavities.

Interdental or interproximal brushes
Also called interproximal brushes, they are small brushes that allow you to clean the most hidden nooks and crannies between the brackets.

It is recommended to use them without toothpaste and just after the usual brushing.

For people with fixed orthodontics, it is an essential step to remove food debris lodged between the archwire and the teeth.

Interdental brushes
Enlarge image
INTERPROXIMAL BRUSHES
Dental floss or Superfloss
Superfloss is a special dental floss for orthodontic patients.

It is composed of three different materials to allow a good hygiene:

A medium stiff part, a sponge style part to clean the teeth and the last one, a piece of conventional dental floss.

As it is a more meticulous process, it can be performed only once a day.

Oral irrigators
An oral irrigator is a device that projects a fine jet of water under pressure.

It helps to remove possible food debris that may have remained between the teeth or in the brackets.

It is highly recommended by dentists for patients who have dental implants.

Plaque developer
This is a substance that, when dissolved in the mouth, stains dental plaque red.

It can be very useful to reveal those sections of the mouth that have not been sufficiently cleaned.

It is also commonly used in young patients who are learning to brush their teeth.

Travel toothbrush
When eating out, don’t forget to take a travel toothbrush with you so that you don’t neglect your daily hygiene.

Be diligent in your dental hygiene
If you have any doubts about how to clean your teeth with braces, ask your dentist.

Foods to avoid during orthodontic treatment
In addition to knowing the proper technique and how to clean your braces, it is important to know which foods to avoid.

Wearing orthodontics does not mean radically changing your diet, but there are some restrictions that affect the appliance.

As far as possible, try not to eat sticky, hard or hard-to-bite foods that can cause the brackets to come off.

It is advisable to limit the intake of sweets and sugary drinks that favor the development of cavities.

Remember that if you wear clear aligners, you will not have problems with any food.

Invisalign invisible orthodontics
Enlarge image
TRANSPARENT SPLINT
Complete your hygiene with a professional dental prophylaxis.
Maintaining a thorough oral cleaning routine at home is not enough, especially if you wear braces.

The best way to ensure optimal dental health is to visit a dental clinic to have a professional prophylaxis performed by a team of hygienists.

This is a hygiene in which ultrasound is used to effectively remove any remaining tartar.

It is recommended that you go to this appointment every 6 to 8 months if you wear braces.

Now that you know how to clean your braces, as well as the technique to maintain a healthy mouth for the duration of your treatment, you will not have any oral problems.

If you have any questions related to your oral hygiene, don’t forget that you can ask your orthodontist at your check-ups.

You may be interested in ” If I want to wear mixed orthodontics, what brackets can I have?

If you need our doctors to assess the state of your oral health, don’t let it pass you by and make an appointment.

Call us at +1 619 372 5409 🇺🇸 +52 664 590 8321 🇲🇽 , or use the contact form on our website, and ask for your first free appointment.

We will give you a complete diagnosis and an estimate without obligation.

 

You will be interested in » Orthodontics and pregnancy: is it compatible or will it cause me problems?

 

Read Our Veneers Guide

 

Bibliographic references

• Vieira DR, Amaral FM, Maciel MC, Nascimento FR, Libério SA, Rodrigues VP. Plant species used in dental diseases: ethnopharmacology aspects and antimicrobial activity evaluation. J Ethnopharmacol. 2014 Sep 29;155(3):1441-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2014.07.021. Epub 2014 Jul 18. PMID: 25046828. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25046828/.
• Bayan, L., Koulivand, PH and Gorji, A. (2014). Garlic: a review of possible therapeutic effects. Avicenna journal of phytomedicine , 4 (1), 1-14. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4103721/
• Taher, YA, Samud, AM, El-Taher, FE, ben-Hussin, G., Elmezogi, JS, Al-Mehdawi, BF and Salem, HA (2015). Experimental evaluation of anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive and antipyretic activities of clove oil in mice. The Libyan journal of medicine , 10 , 28685. https://doi.org/10.3402/ljm.v10.28685 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4558274/

At DrAW Dental Clinic we are guided by editorial guidelines that ensure the accuracy of all the information we publish. If you would like to know more about how we ensure that our content is up-to-date and properly supported, we encourage you to read our editorial commitment.

 

 

Did you find this a 5 star article?
Leave us your rating:

(No Ratings Yet)

Cargando…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Related Posts