By choosing to get braces, you have already taken a major step in improving your oral health as well as the appearance of your smile. But now that you have braces, you want to make sure you are doing everything you can to make the most of your treatment.

At each Orthodontic Alliances location in Indiana, we dedicate every bit of our time and energy to making sure our patients have all the tools they need to take care of their teeth and their oral health overall. When you’re suddenly faced with a mouthful of braces, you may wonder what extra precautions you need to take. Keep reading to hear our advice on taking good care of your teeth while you have braces, then feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns you may have.

Brushing and Flossing your Teeth with Braces

It’s never too late to start practicing good dental hygiene, especially if you just got braces. It can be a little tricky to properly brush and floss your teeth when you have brackets and wires in the way. Fortunately, it gets easier each time you do it.

The first thing to keep in mind when brushing and flossing your teeth with braces is to be gentle. You want to avoid damaging your wires and brackets. Don’t worry, you will still effectively clean your teeth.

To brush your teeth with braces, begin with a toothbrush that has a soft head and toothpaste that contains fluoride. Hold the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle from your teeth and gently brush in a circular motion, cleaning the surfaces of each of your teeth. Then, holding the toothbrush vertically, brush the backside of each of your teeth.

After thoroughly brushing your teeth for two minutes, move onto flossing. Using traditional dental floss or a flosser designed for flossing with braces, clean between each of your teeth by threading the floss between your teeth or in the wiring of your braces and on the brackets. Gently guide the floss back and forth between your teeth.

Once you are finished brushing and flossing, rinse your mouth and you are good to go.

Foods to Avoid when you Have Braces

Another key thing to remember when taking care of your braces is that certain foods should be avoided. When you first get your braces on, we will give you a list of foods to avoid, but as a gentle reminder, you’re much better off avoiding sticky, chewy, or hard foods such as:

  • Caramels
  • Taffy
  • Chewing gum
  • Gummy candy
  • Popcorn
  • Hard pretzels
  • Bagels
  • Ice

You should also avoid biting into foods like corn on the cob, apples, and carrots. Instead, cut the corn off the cob and slice the apples and carrots before you eat them to avoid damaging your braces.

For more information on how to take good care of your teeth while you have braces, contact Orthodontic Alliances online or call the office nearest to you:

We are here to help you in any way we can.