How to Prevent Tooth Decay While Wearing Braces

While braces are one of the most effective treatments fora healthy and more beautiful smile, properly cleaning and maintaining them can get quite difficult at times. This is due to the many nooks and crevices created in your mouth from the ligatures and plates on braces. These places attract food debris and create breeding grounds for bacteria that can cause tooth decay if not cleaned properly and regularly. Having decayed and discolored teeth makes the entire treatment of braces near you counterproductive at the end.

Here are some practical tips on how to prevent tooth damage and decay once you receive braces in Fort Myers, so you can have a bright and lovely smile once you remove them.

Stick to friendly food for braces

Prevention is better than cure! Making sure you prevent the opportunity to have sticky food remains stuck in the wires of your braces is a lot easier than having to put a whole lot of effort in the cleanup afterward. While it may seem difficult to circumvent your favorite food to protect your braces, you will find it better and even healthier to avoid sticky candy and certain hard food for the duration of braces treatment. Especially when you add fruits to your diet, opt for well-ripened fruit rather than fruits you have to chew or bite into. Popcorn is another food that you should avoid while wearing braces, since tiny kernels can get stuck in between the ligatures in your braces.

Always perform a quick brush after eating

The longer you wait to clean after eating food, the more difficult it will be to clean any leftover food stuck in your braces. And the longer it stays there, it is more likely to have bacteria growth which can eventually lead to tooth decay. Therefore, always be prepared for brief brushing after every meal. The longer you can take to carefully clean in between your teeth and braces, the better. In fact, it is ideal to floss in between your teeth and braces after a meal. If it is not practical to brush, at least keep some mouthwash with you to thoroughly rinse your mouth after.

Know your brushing methods

With braces on, you may have to learn some new techniques to brush rather than the lazy brush strokes you are used to doing every morning and before going to the bed! The best way to clean the entire tooth when you brush is to hold your brush at a 45-degree angle against the gums. Have a firm grip on your toothbrush, but use short and soft strokes when you brush.

Make sure your toothbrush has soft bristles that do not damage your gums, teeth and the delicate wires of the braces when you have to add pressure to some areas to remove any food debris. Use a fluoride toothpaste to treat any cavities at their initial stage. You should always focus on cleaning your entire mouth, including your tongue and gums, without only paying attention to the teeth.

Visit a dental clinic near you regularly

Even with perfect care and maintenance, it is natural to have issues with cavities when you have braces. Therefore, make sure you have frequent checkups with your dentist in Fort Myers to get inspected for any early signs of tooth decay. Identifying cavities as early as possible helps treat them easily rather than having to go for a filling or root canal treatment later once they reach the decaying stage. You can also get your teeth professionally cleaned during your visits, since brushing and flossing may not be able to fully clean in between the small crevices of metal braces in particular.