Brushing your teeth is important throughout your life. However, taking care to brush your teeth properly is especially important if you wear braces. If you fail to care for your teeth properly while youāre wearing braces, you could find yourself struggling with some or all of the following problems:
- Plaque build-up
- Stained teeth
- Discolouration
- Enamel Damage
At Hove Dental, we know how important brushing your teeth properly is. However, we also understand that braces can make brushing your teeth a lot more difficult. If you want to enjoy good dental health and have healthy white teeth when your braces are removed, you need to brush regularly and properly. To help make things easier, weāve put together our expert brushing routine tips for your teeth below.
1. Brush Your Teeth Every Day
Did you know that in Britain, one in five Brits only brush their teeth once a day? The most important part of good oral health care is brushing every day. Taking the time to brush your teeth regularly (we recommend twice a day), is essential for avoiding serious problems such as tooth decay, plaque build-up, and mouth infections. At Hove Dental, we donāt want you to experience any of these problems. Thatās why we advise everyone to brush their teeth twice a day, once in the morning and once at night.
Throughout the day, food particles and plaque can build-up on your teeth and if it isnāt cleaned off, your teeth can be more vulnerable to damage. Below is how to brush your teeth with braces properly:
2. Rinse Your Mouth Out with Water
The first step to brushing your teeth is rinsing your mouth out with water. While this may seem odd, this is a simple way to help loosen any food particles that have become stuck in your mouth throughout the day. It also prepares your mouth for brushing.
3. Position Your Toothbrush Effectively
If you want to brush your teeth properly, it is important to position your toothbrush effectively. Put your toothbrush in your mouth, angling the brush head at a 45-degree angle.Ā This position will help encourage optimum cleaning over the gums and between the gaps in your braces. Brushing at a slight angle like this helps your toothbrush get between those tricky gaps in your teeth and clean between brace sections.
Clean with your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle for two minutes, working over the surface of your teeth and between your brace wires. Pay special attention to brushing the inner and outer surfaces of your teeth, as plaque can easily build-up.
4. Donāt Rinse Your Mouth Out
After youāve finished brushing your teeth, it is important that you spit out any excess toothpaste but do not rinse your mouth out. If you rinse your mouth out immediately after brushing, you will wash away all the concentrated fluoride in the remaining toothpaste, making your teeth more vulnerable to sensitivities.
5. Brush Bacteria Off Your Tongue
Finish by brushing any excess bacteria off your tongue using the back of your toothbrush. Keeping your tongue clean helps reduce infection, prevent plaque build-up, and keep your breath fresh throughout the day! Brushing bacteria off your tongue is especially important if you have braces as bacteria can build-up more easily.
6. Floss Your Teeth Every Day
In addition to brushing your teeth twice a day, it is important you floss ā particularly when you wear braces! Flossing is crucial for keeping your teeth healthy and reducing the build-up of plaque in your mouth. Brushing and flossing your teeth with braces is just as easy when you have braces as it was when you didnāt. Simply thread the floss between your teeth. If using floss is a little too tricky to manoeuvre between your braces and your teeth, you can now buy specially-made flossing instruments that are perfect for people with braces.
Top tip: at Hove Dental, we recommend that everyone flosses in the evening to remove any trapped food particles that have remained throughout the day.
7. Clean Your Teeth with Mouthwash
Finishing your teeth cleaning routine with mouthwash is the best way to ensure your mouth is completely clean. Mouthwash is great for reaching parts of your mouth your toothbrush canāt. Mouthwash also helps clean areas around your teeth or braces that you may have missed. You should use mouthwash every time after you brush as it can help keep your breath fresh, reduce gum inflammation, help prevent gum disease, and encourage the mouth to heal faster.
8. Clean Your Teeth using Fluoride Toothpaste
The most effective toothpaste for cleaning your teeth is fluoride as it is great for strengthening your tooth enamel. If you have braces, prevent damage to your teeth and tooth decay by using fluoride toothpaste. If you wear braces, your teeth can be more susceptible to general wear and tear, so itās important to strengthen them as much as you can.
Book Regular Check-Ups with Your Dentist
If you want to keep your teeth healthy throughout your brace journey, the best thing you can do is brush them twice a day and book regular dental check-ups. At Hove Dental, we specialise in dental care and hygiene. Regular check-ups with our dental specialists are a great chance to ask whether your teeth are being kept clean properly. At Hove Dental, we can offer your advice, professional dental checks, and a smile you can be proud of. Get in touch to book your appointment with us today.
