Caring For Your Metal Braces

Caring For Your Metal Braces – Our Top Tips & Advice

Getting braces is definitely a long journey and takes some adjustment, but it’s worth it. Once your braces are removed, you’ll have a picture-perfect smile that will last you a lifetime. And if you’ve gotten braces in Wyomissing recently, or you’re interested in braces from Molly Hottenstein Orthodontics, it’s important to know how to care for them. 

So read on, and get some top tips and advice on how to keep your braces in great shape, and streamline the treatment process. 

1. Adjust Your Brushing Technique For Better Results

First, you’ll need to make some adjustments to how you brush your teeth. Start by holding your brush at a 45-degree angle, and clean your brackets, wires, and the other components of your braces thoroughly. It’s really important to do a good job, since food debris can easily get trapped between teeth and braces.

Once you clean your braces, move on to your teeth. Make sure to clean the tops, backs, and fronts of each tooth thoroughly with fluoride toothpaste. To keep your mouth healthy, we recommend brushing at least twice a day, and ideally three times each day. 

2. Floss And Rinse To Remove More Debris

Flossing can be a challenge with braces, but you get used to it eventually, and it’s very important for your oral health. If you are having a lot of trouble with flossing, you can also consider a water flosser like a Waterpik.

You should also rinse whenever you floss, since this helps remove debris and food particles that have been loosened by the flossing process. 

3. Follow Dr. Hottenstein’s Dietary Recommendations

Ignoring dietary restrictions is one of the most common reasons for braces breaking, loosening, or becoming damaged. Always follow Dr. Hottenstein’s instructions, and avoid:

• Chewy foods like bagels and hard, crusty rolls or bread
• Crunchy foods like ice, chips, and popcorn
• Sticky foods like chewing gum, caramels, taffy, and most kinds of gummy candy
• Hard foods like nuts and hard candy
  

You also should cut certain foods like corn on the cob, apples, and carrots into smaller pieces and chew them with your rear teeth rather than biting into them with your front teeth. Following these tips will help you keep your braces in good shape. 

4. Avoid Unhealthy Habits Like Chewing Fingernails Or Pencils 

Chewing non-food objects puts unnecessary stress on your teeth and on your braces. If you habitually chew on fingernails, pencils, pens, and other non-food objects, try to take steps to break this habit, or you may end up accidentally damaging your metal braces. 

5. Wear A Mouthguard When Playing Sports

If you play any kind of contact sport, or you have an extreme hobby like skateboarding or mountain biking, you definitely need a custom-fitted mouthguard. Oral injuries can be extremely painful and harmful to people with braces, so it’s important to protect your teeth and your gums.

A custom-fitted mouthguard from our Wyomissing orthodontist will fit perfectly over your teeth and braces, and keep your smile safe if you slip and fall, get hit in the face with a ball, or take a hard hit in a contact sport. 

Interested In Orthodontics In Wyomissing? Contact Dr. Hottenstein Today!

At Molly Hottenstein Orthodontics, we offer expert orthodontic care for patients of all ages, and we offer treatments like traditional metal braces, Invisalign, and more. If you would like a straighter, healthier, and more beautiful smile in Wyomissing, we’re here to help. Contact us online or give us a call at (484) 258-2299 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Hottenstein and explore your options for straightening your smile.