Your Grande Prairie Invisalign® Provider
Adhere to the 45-Degree Rule
When brushing your braces, remember to follow the 45-degree rule. Brush the bottom teeth slightly upwards to get under the groove of the bracket, and the top teeth slightly downwards to go under the groove of the bracket as well. Food will become caught on the sides of your braces and in between your cheek and teeth the majority of the time. Develop the practice of cleaning your teeth after meals with a toothpick or floss. This should make brushing less difficult.
Treat the Brackets Like Part of the Tooth
Do not let plaque accumulate in the areas next to the brackets, as this may result in discolouration of the tooth or cavities in the spaces between teeth.
As a result of your installation, your brackets and cables will produce more crevices for bacteria to congregate and grow in. A daily brushing routine after each meal should be incorporated into your eating schedule to avoid this.
When wearing braces, flossing is still an option. However, in order to get under the wire, you must use flossing lassos or dental floss with firm points. In order to prevent the bristles from getting caught in or damaged by your brackets, you might also need a toothbrush with stiffer bristles.
Make Healthy Choices
It all starts with making better food choices to avoid plaque buildup in the mouth. When you wear braces, you don't have to drastically change your diet, but we do recommend avoiding foods that make it more difficult to keep your teeth clean. Corn kernels, licorice, gummy candy, jerky, and taffy, to name a few, will become trapped in your braces more easily than other foods.
When you avoid this small list of sticky and difficult-to-eat foods, your regular brushing routine will simply be easier. Talk to your orthodontist about what you should and should not eat to find out which meals you should avoid.
Don't Rush It
Typically, two minutes minimum per day should be spent brushing your teeth thoroughly. If the wires and braces in your mouth prevent you from cleaning all of the surfaces of your teeth, you might want to consider using a proxabrush. It can be used to clean under and around braces and other orthodontic devices due to its small size and flexibility.
Start by Rinsing Your Mouth
To begin, take any elastics, bands, or removable orthodontic parts out of your mouth and store them in a safe place away from your mouth. After that, fill a cup halfway with water and rinse your mouth with it. Swishing a small amount of water around the inside of your mouth can help to loosen food particles and other debris.