Let’s face it, braces are one of the most revolutionary dental inventions ever created. These simple gadgets are incredibly effective at treating a wide range of dental issues including misaligned teeth, overcrowding teeth, and bite problems. With advances in technology, modern braces have become fashionable and trendy for teenagers and adults alike.
Despite the huge benefits that braces offer, they, unfortunately, make brushing teeth a lot harder. This is because food particles are likely to lodge themselves between the wires. If proper dental hygiene is not observed, this can lead to the build-up of bacteria and potentially cause dental problems such as cavities, gum disease, and tooth decay.
The good news is that it is still possible to maintain high levels of dental hygiene and keep your teeth clean even while wearing braces.
Why Is Flossing Important When Wearing Braces?
Braces are held together by wires known as brackets, which take up a lot of space around the teeth. Not only do these wires trap food particles when you eat but they also make it a lot harder to access certain parts of the teeth using regular brushing techniques.
If the food particles are left for long, they can lead to a buildup of bacteria and plaque and dramatically increase the risk of tooth decay, cavities, and gum disease. For this reason, it is always recommended to floss your teeth at least once a day. This helps to keep your teeth and gums healthy and clean, while also preventing discoloration.
How To Floss Your Teeth With Braces
Flossing is arguably the most challenging part when it comes to cleaning teeth that have braces. However, having the right tools such as a sturdy floss threader and a waxed floss can make the process a lot easier.
You only need to:
- Pass a piece of waxed floss through the threader while making sure the floss fits tightly under the wire.
- Wrap the ends of the floss around your fingers for a better grip
- Place the floss in between a pair of teeth and gently but firmly rub it up and down.
- Once you are done flossing, gently remove the floss from your teeth and pull it out from the threader
- Repeat the process on the next pair of teeth with a new floss
Flossing Alone Is Not Enough
While flossing helps you achieve good dental hygiene, you need to combine it with other oral care practices to keep your teeth healthy and clean. These include:
- Proper Diet
Besides eating foods that are healthy for your teeth such as milk and eggs, you need to avoid foods that are detrimental to your teeth and braces. Hard and sticky foods such as candies and nuts, for instance, can stick on your braces and potentially damage them. - Regular Brushing
In addition to flossing your teeth once a day, you need to brush your teeth three times a day as recommended by dentists. Make sure you brush in between the wires and vary your brushing angles to reach parts of your teeth that are harder to access.
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