One of the great benefits of braces that everyone talks about is how straight your teeth will look after they come off. But one thing that does not get mentioned that much on the subject is how much extra work is involved for a patient to clean their braces. New Port Richey patients will find out with all that metal in their mouth covering up areas and hard to reach places makes brushing twice a day for two minutes not enough. It is much easier for food to get trapped and sit, causing health problems and bad hygiene to developed such as bad breath!
Brushing Teeth with Braces
Without having braces on your teeth, many dentists recommend that everyone should at least brush their teeth twice a day, for a time of about two minutes to effectively clean food and bacteria from your mouth. With braces, New Port Richey residents might find it more effective to brush their teeth shortly after each meal to cut down on food build up and plaque. Individuals who have braces should focus a lot of their brushing attention on the metal brackets as this is where most things get caught and can stay unnoticed for quite some time. Many people with braces find that normal brushing no longer effectively cleans their teeth, in which they are prompted to brush at a 45-degree angle instead of flat brushing.
Flossing to be Made Easier
Flossing is one of the most challenging aspects about having braces because the metal wires can stop a lot of the mobility in your mouth. If some is having trouble flossing with braces, New Port Richey dentists and orthodontists recommend to using floss threaders to make it easier to maneuver dental floss around the wires. As an alternative to traditional dental floss to clean in between teeth, many patients who have braces use a waterpik to squirt water into their teeth to dislodge food particles and clean away any bacteria.
*Disclaimer: The views expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of Anchor Dental Care*