Braces play an important role in fixing various dental problems such as correcting bites and aligning teeth, among other cosmetic issues. Misaligned teeth negatively affect your look and can cause difficulties in chewing, speech impediments, jaw pain, gum disease, sleep apnea or the grinding of teeth, among others. Braces help to solve such issues, but you need to clean and care for them to achieve the best results. Failure to clean and care for your braces might cause bad breath or other oral health problems. Below are some important tips on how to maintain different types of braces.
Come in for regular checkups
Once you have your braces installed, it’s imperative that you visit our orthodontist in Dallas on a regular basis. These regular checkups will ensure that adjustments are done to your appliance if need be. Braces are not supposed to make you feel much discomfort; hence, you need to visit our orthodontist if you are experiencing any kind of pain after the installation of braces. Other possible problems such as gum disease or cavities can be identified early enough whenever you visit our orthodontist. Dentists usually help in improving oral hygiene through fluoride treatments, which enhance tooth protection by preventing decay on the tooth surface.
Effective brushing
Most dental specialists recommend that you brush your teeth at least twice a day, but this might be different for people with braces. You should brush your teeth after every meal if you are wearing braces. This is because food particles are normally trapped in the braces, which can cause bad breath or tooth decay. Patients are advised to use a soft toothbrush to clean the teeth, even after taking simple meals such as snacks. Don’t forget to clean around the pins and wires of your braces to remove all debris and plaque.
Regular flossing
There are different types of flossing products that are effective in cleaning the different types of braces. You should floss at least once a day to keep your braces clean. Consult our orthodontist to know what kind of floss will work best for your unique case.
Patients are advised to consult our orthodontist at Ragan Orthodontics in Dallas for further questions and concerns. Contact us today for a consultation.