Braces are dental retainers used in orthodontics to align and straighten teeth. They help position the teeth about the individual’s bite. Despite the effective work these dental tools do, patients are left with one main concern. The white spot left on the teeth after the braces are removed bothers many patients.
This does not occur to all patients as there are several ways to prevent them from occurring. You can prevent staining of your braces by;
Avoiding sugars and sweets
Diets full of sugar contribute to white spots on your tooth enamel. Avoid food such as sodas, ice cream, cookies and other beverages with a high volume of sugar. Even Sports drinks should be axed as they contribute to white spots to occur.
And if it’s a must you have to, use a straw to reduce the contact of your teeth with the beverage. After you are done with your drink, take water to flush the sugars remaining in your teeth. If not, you can brush your teeth. It is by the best solution.
Brush your Teeth Twice a Day
Effective oral hygiene is the only way to sustain perfect oral health. This will not only help when wearing braces but after you remove them. If possible brush your teeth twice a day after every meal. This will help to get rid of food debris and acids from sticking on your teeth. Which in the end cause decalcification? Flossing is also recommended (once a day) as it removes excess food debris and plaque.
Use an Interproximal Toothbrush
Best Orthodontist from Miami always recommends interproximal toothbrush because it reaches between your wires and brackets. As a result, it removes food particles and plaques that a normal toothbrush misses.
Use an Electric Toothbrush
An electric toothbrush can help clean your teeth better than the normal toothbrush. This does not mean that the normal toothbrush is bad neither should you abandon it. But an electric toothbrush like the Philips Sonicare can reach places in your mouth with much ease. The compact rotating head can reach places where the manual brush can’t. Some electric toothbrushes come with a built-in timer so you brush for the recommended time.
Avoid whitening/bleaching toothpaste
Brace wearer is advised not to use whitening toothpaste. This is because it cannot gore the brackets placed on your teeth for your braces. In other words, if you use a whitening toothbrush, you will be whitening the whole tooth surface. You will not be whitening the small squares on each where the bracket was placed.
Sealants
On several occasion, orthodontist experts do recommend sealants to make them more resistant to the white spot left by orthodontic appliances. There a good number of sealants available. Several studies have shown that they are effective.
Use fluoride Mouthwash
Fluoride mouthwash helps tooth enamel to be more resistant to white spots. It should be used one a day. Still, some orthodontist recommends using fluoride toothpaste that is prescribed.
It should be a problem neither should you panic when you remove braces and see white spots. There are systems orthodontist can use to reduce or get rid of them.