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If you’ve become a bit lax about giving your teeth a thorough cleaning twice a day, you will need to reevaluate and ramp your routine up while wearing braces. As with many other important tasks in life, a focus on oral care is all about turning it into a new habit that you’ll stick with.
The office of SmileAlign Orthodontics is dedicated to helping every patient enjoy the benefits of a healthy and beautiful smile. We provide a comprehensive program of treatments designed to straighten your teeth and reduce your risk of dental disease. If your current oral care habits aren’t stellar, use these tactics.
Don’t leave home without it, with “it” being a clean mouth. Greeting every day (and anyone with whom you have a close encounter!) with a pleasant kisser is a terrific way to build your confidence. More importantly, though, it’s also great for banishing your breakfast’s leftovers, freshening your breath, preventing coffee stains and dispatching bacteria that have formed overnight.
If you have never gone or have stopped going beyond using only a toothbrush to get at those areas between your teeth, then holy cow! Using both dental floss and a water flosser is key to ridding your teeth and gums of damaging plaque, which can lead to periodontal disease. Each has its specific areas of effectiveness, sothe ideal dental hygiene program takes advantage of both methods.
Give it time—at least three minutes. Many people are good about the frequency with which they brush but not with how much time they spend doing it, which reduces how effectively they remove plaque. It takes about 180 seconds to reach all of those nooks and crannies that brackets and wires create. Set a timer to ensure that you’re brushing for the recommended amount of time.
Use a tongue scraper. They’re easily found where dental-care products are sold, and some toothbrushes come with a scraping pad that’s on the other side of the bristles. Gently scrub your tongue to help clear away leftover bacteria and food particles that could roam around your teeth.
Stick to straws. When you drink beverages with sugar and acids (soda, energy drinks and fruit juice), use a straw to prevent their destructive elements from making contact with your enamel. Make it easy by keeping straws readily accessible. Stockpile them in your kitchen, desk drawer at work, purse, backpack and car.
When you’re searching for an orthodontic practice that’s dedicated to providing the topmost standard of personalized care, look no further than SmileAlign Orthodontics. We offer extensive options of excellent treatments for people of all ages. To learn more about our many services, please contact us today.
By SmileAlign Orthodontics
June 28, 2022
