Monday, September 28, 2009

Maintaining Oral Hygiene

One of the downsides of this treatment, however, is braces cleaning. There is literally a litany of problems associated with keeping the teeth clean when you're wearing braces. Food often gets lodged between the wires, and added to that, the process of cleaning the teeth with natural lubrication is not achieved because this is initiated by the process of chewing. And brace wearers know that chewing is hardly normal when you're wearing an apparatus.
When the hard-to-reach areas are not given attention, plaque would soon build up, in addition to diseases of the gum. Periodontal disease, for instance, involves an infection of the tissues and even the bone that supports the teeth, eventually making the teeth come loose.
Improper oral hygiene may also lead to gingivitis, a condition wherein the gums occasionally bleed, and are puffy, red, or tender.
Generally, you don't have to worry about the areas that are covered by the metal - it's the exposed parts you should be concerned about. But there is a proper way of reaching into those crevices to ensure that you or your children would not fall victim to dental caries.
Braces cleaning procedure
It is recommended that brushing be done 5 minutes after taking meals or even snacks, no matter how light they may be. It is important to have a braces cleaning kit with you wherever you go so you can clean your teeth wherever and whenever you need to.
Tips in braces cleaning:
Use an angled toothbrush to be able to reach the corners you can't normally get to with an ordinary straight toothbrush. But without one, you can simply hold the toothbrush at a forty-five-degree angle. Start cleaning the spaces between the gum and the wires to loosen food particles.
First, clean the upper teeth's outside part, making sure hat only two to three teeth are being cleaned at a time. Make about 10 strokes in a circular motion so as not to miss anything.
Afterward, move on to the other teeth. You can then proceed to doing the same technique for the inside part of the teeth. Lastly, clean the teeth used for masticating.
Do the same steps for your lower teeth, all the while using a circular motion. When you have gone through all the lower teeth as well, rinse your mouth thoroughly. You can now use a mirror to check if there are still areas which need further cleaning.
Braces cleaning must also involve dental flossing to get to the spaces in between teeth which cannot be reached by toothbrushes. You can choose to buy floss sticks rather than the regular string-type floss because they're more convenient to use and you don't have to open your mouth as wide.
Mouthwash is recommended to give the narrow spaces a bit of sterilization. It also keeps your breath fresh and keeps you confident. If you want, you can choose to keep breath mints for popping when it's impossible to have a braces cleaning on the spot.
You can also find more info on Types Of Braces. Bracesbliss.com is a comprehensive resource which provide information about Braces.

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