Orthodontics is mostly concerned with diagnosing and addressing such issues as overcrowded teeth, crooked teeth, protruding teeth or poor jaw alignment where your teeth don’t meet properly and can cause issues with chewing, speaking and drinking.
There are many thousands of people that are embarrassed by their teeth and having a brace fitted is one way to correct an issue, such as having crooked teeth, that can affect how you feel about yourself and how confident you are about your smile.
Keeping your teeth and braces clean
Many people that contemplate having braces fitted are worried about keeping their teeth and braces clean once they are fitted. The will wonder just how they are supposed to get into all the nooks and crannies to clean your teeth when there are braces in the way?
While having a traditional wired brace can mean a little bit of extra time and effort when it comes to brushing and cleaning, it really does depend on the type of braces you choose that can make a big difference to your daily oral hygiene routine.
Many of the modern-day orthodontic brace solutions are easily removable, meaning that you can take out your braces to thoroughly clean your teeth and gums without anything getting in the way!
However, you can make things a lot easier on yourself by following our handy tips for taking care of your teeth and braces:
Avoid sticky foods
While you don’t need to stick to eating soups and stews for the duration of your treatment with braces, you can help to keep your teeth and braces cleaner by avoiding stick and sugary foods that can become trapped between teeth and braces.
Eating sugary foods isn’t recommended for the health of your teeth, or your health in general, so avoiding sweets, sticky buns and cakes will go a long way to help keep your mouth and body healthy!
Brush and floss after every meal
While we all know that we are supposed to brush and floss twice per day while wearing braces it can be helpful to increase your oral hygiene routine to perform a good clean after each meal – in addition to your usual morning and night routine.
Don’t skip your orthodontist appointments
Wearing braces can often result in weeks of corrective treatment that can often seem to pass at a snail’s pace. It is tempting to skip the occasional orthodontic appointment because you are busy or you think things are progressing well.
However, your braces will need checking and adjustments made regularly throughout your treatment. This is to ensure that everything is progressing properly and your teeth are moving in the right direction.
Keeping your appointments will also mean that your dentist can spot any issues that could be developing, such as early signs of gum disease or cavities forming that can be addressed before becoming an issue.
Your dentist will be able to offer you plenty of advice throughout your treatment, so if you miss an appointment by accident, make sure you re-book as soon as you can.
