Critical Oral Hygiene Tips During Orthodontic Treatment
Maintaining good oral hygiene is important for everyone, but when you’re having orthodontic treatment, it’s even more critical. Appliances such as braces or clear aligners can easily trap food particles, making it harder to keep teeth clean. The major enemy is plaque, a biofilm containing bacteria that digest sugars, producing acids that may erode teeth and irritate gums, causing cavities, white spots, gum disease, and bad breath.
Keeping plaque under control is the most effective means of maintaining strong, healthy teeth and gums. This requires a strategy involving diet, daily maintenance, and regular professional care.
1. Diet and Decay Prevention
Controlling your diet involves avoiding foods that could increase your risk of developing tooth decay or damage your appliances:
- Avoid High Sugar Foods: Cut down or eliminate soda, sweets, and ice cream.
- Avoid Sticky/Gummy Foods: Avoid toffee, gum, licorice, and caramels, which easily become stuck in braces.
- Avoid Hard Foods: Avoid hard candies, nuts, beef jerky, and hard pizza crust, which can cause physical damage like broken wires or loose brackets.
- Modify Healthy Foods: Keep eating foods like carrots and apples, but cut them into bite-sized pieces first.
- Stop Bad Habits: Don’t chew on ice, pencils, or your nails.
2. Daily Maintenance: Tools and Techniques
Effective daily cleaning requires persistent effort and the right tools:
- Toothbrushing: Use a soft-bristle or bi-level toothbrush (longer outer bristles, shorter inner bristles) or an electric toothbrush on a moderate setting.
- Interdental Brush (Proxabrush): This small, pipe-cleaner shaped aid is essential for cleaning in between wires, brackets, and teeth where a regular brush cannot reach.
- Flossing: You should floss at least once a day. Use floss threaders or special orthodontic floss to get the floss under the wires and to the gum line.
- Supplemental Care: A supplemental fluoride treatment (in-office or at-home) may be recommended for cavity resistance. An antiseptic rinse may also be used to ease minor gum irritation.
- Retainer Care: Brush your retainer daily. Never put hot water on it, as it can distort the plastic. Always keep it in a case when it’s not in your mouth.
3. Professional Care
During orthodontic treatment, it’s as important as ever to make sure your teeth stay healthy with thorough examinations, cleanings, and preventive care. Your orthodontic treatment is a team effort to ensure you get a winning smile.