So much goes into ensuring your braces stay polished throughout treatment, but you may wonder what you can do each day to make a difference. At Farrow & Dewbre Orthodontics, our team is here to make caring for your braces a simple task that you can accomplish at home every day. Read on to learn more about choosing proper tools for care, thinking about your food options, and the importance of daily cleaning.
Picking the Perfect Tools For Care
Toothbrush and Toothpaste
Choosing the right orthodontic tools is essential in caring for your braces and teeth. We recommend using a rounded, soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste for gentle maintenance while keeping yourself safe from complications. Simply clean each surface of your teeth and braces in a circular motion for a few minutes to leave a polished and shiny look. Consistency in your routine will help maintain your appliance’s effectiveness and durability.
When you begin treatment with Farrow & Dewbre Orthodontics, our team will provide you with a toothbrush and a small kit of other items to help prepare you for the rest of your smile journey. Braces can quickly flatten your toothbrush, making it less functional in cleaning, so Dr. Farrow and Dr. Dewbre suggest keeping a replacement one handy to ensure you stick to your routine.
Floss Threaders
When wearing braces, you’ll quickly notice you can’t reach all the way down each tooth with a traditional floss string or stick due to wires blocking the way. To help keep your teeth and braces in perfect condition, we provide each of our patients with floss threaders. All you need to do is thread a piece of floss through the thin plastic and thread it below the wire of each tooth. This will loosen any stubborn pieces of food stuck between your teeth from past meals.
Neglecting to floss can allow bacteria to build up between your teeth and on your braces, quickly leading to tooth decay. Our team will happily point out specific areas to keep track of that may be more likely to get pieces of food stuck.
Mouthwash
Mouthwash is an excellent way to complement your oral care routine every night before bed. This liquid typically includes fluoride in its formula, just like your toothpaste, doubling down on your protection against decay, cavities, and lingering bacteria. As mentioned, keeping your braces free of these complications will ensure your plan stays on track and in excellent condition.
Considering Your Food Options
When wearing braces, some food restrictions do come with treatment. Actively choosing meals you consume daily can save you from complications later on and is essential in maintaining oral health and your appliance’s condition. Leaving small food particles behind can lead to rapid tooth decay and delay your smile journey.
Safe Foods to Eat
After getting your braces in, we recommend starting a soft-food diet throughout treatment. Eating foods such as pasta, tender chicken, mashed potatoes, soup, bananas, soft cookies, and plenty more are great options to keep your nutrition healthy and your teeth safe from damage. Our team can provide you with a list of delicious foods to stock up on!
Foods to Avoid
On the other hand, we recommend avoiding anything hard, crunchy, or chewy, such as nuts, popcorn, corn on the cob, raw vegetables, potato chips, and similar foods. Our team will be able to give you a more complete list in our office and can answer any questions you have about specific foods. If your favorite meal or snack is listed, we promise the wait will be worth it!
We Can Answer Your Questions!
Keeping track of every step in your oral health care routine can be difficult sometimes, especially as you adjust at the start of treatment. We understand unexpected situations or emergencies may come up that you are not sure how to handle, and that’s where we come in.
Farrow & Dewbre Orthodontics is your resource throughout your time in braces and beyond! Our team strives to make your experience as stress-free and straightforward as possible. If there is anything we can do to accommodate you throughout treatment, please don’t hesitate to let us know.
The Value of Daily Care of Your Braces
Sticking to a daily oral health routine will allow your braces journey to go as smoothly as possible. When practicing oral health procedures, such as brushing twice daily and flossing nightly, you keep your braces and original teeth in peak strength to preserve their functionality and long-term condition throughout and post-treatment.
Following the care instructions provided to you by Dr. Farrow and Dr. Dewbre will keep your teeth safe from plaque buildup, tooth decay, bacteria, and other complications. If you ever have questions or are unsure how to keep your braces or teeth in perfect condition, please don’t hesitate to ask our team at your next appointment so we can help set you up for success!
Keep Your Braces Clean Throughout Treatment!
If you have any questions about ensuring your braces stay in perfect condition, you can rely on Farrow & Dewbre Orthodontics to provide the answers you need. We are here to make your experience as enjoyable and easy as possible! We provide expert care to Oklahoma City, Edmond, Deer Creek, Clinton, and the nearby communities. Schedule your free consultation with Dr. Farrow and Dr. Dewbre today and get started on your smile journey. Our team can’t wait to meet you!