HOW TO PROTECT YOUR TEETH DURING ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT

oral care How to protect your teeth during orthodontic treatment

Preventing tooth decay and gum diseases is the foundation to a lifetime of optimal dental health.

At Tony Weir Orthodontics in Greenslopes we make it our number one priority to care for our patient’s oral health during their orthodontic treatment to ensure they receive the best smile possible. Following a proper oral hygiene routine is the first step towards keeping your natural teeth for life. The second important measure you can take is to visit us twice a year for your professional clean and examination. Following this advice can help you avoid developing a myriad of oral and overall health issues such as tooth loss, gum disease, heart disease and even diabetes.

During orthodontic treatment, the risk of developing gum disease and tooth decay increases, as it can be difficult to brush and floss properly. As such, you must keep to a rigorous cleaning regime to prevent bacterial plaque build-up that leads to tooth decay, inflammation of the gums and in some cases, loss of jawbone. With this in mind, below are some oral hygiene tips for you to consider during your orthodontic treatment.

Preventing Decay

When you have braces attached to your teeth, you will realise that cleaning or brushing your teeth is harder to do. Food particles can get caught between the braces and wires as well as your teeth, which can only be removed through careful brushing and flossing. Failure to clean your teeth thoroughly while having orthodontic braces can result in permanent stains on the surface of your teeth.

Follow a low acidic diet

Eating too much sugary food and drinking sugary soft drinks can contribute to plaque build-up. If you have braces, you will need to brush, floss and rinse after eating sugary food as it can get caught in your braces. This can significantly increase your chances of tooth decay.

While many high acid foods are healthy for your body, low acid foods are better for your teeth. Remember, during orthodontic treatment, it’s best to choose low acid foods when you sit down to eat.

Less tooth friendly foods high in acid are:

  • Apples, cherries, oranges, peaches, pears, plums and pineapples
  • Tomatoes and pickles
  • Soft drinks (regular & diet), sports drinks and fruit drinks
  • Vinaigrette dressings, BBQ sauces and salsas

Tooth friendly foods that are low in acid are:

  • Carrots, cucumbers, lettuce and beets
  • Bananas, mangoes and melons
  • Milk and water
  • Meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, crackers, soups and pasta

Brushing / Flossing / Rinsing

Although it is recommended that you should brush your teeth twice a day, we advise our patients going through orthodontic treatment to brush their teeth three times a day immediately after each meal, including lunch. Flossing is also very important in oral hygiene as this can help remove food particles in hard to reach areas. We also recommend that you visit our practice, Tony Weir Orthodontics in Greenslopes, at least every six months for a routine check-up, deep clean and fluoride application.

Which tooth brush should you use?

We recommend that you should use a small head and soft bristled tooth brush to clean around the braces. Moving the toothbrush backwards and forwards in small motions above and below the braces can help achieve proper cleaning.

For more information about our orthodontic treatments and how to care for your teeth during treatment please don’t hesitate to call 07 3278 1492 or contact us online.

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