A Weybridge dentist advises on the best way to clean teeth when wearing braces
Braces aren’t designed for easy access to the teeth surfaces when they need cleaning; says a Weybridge dentist. Food residue get into the most smallest of places, and most braces have all the hidey holes that bacteria thrives in. The result of a bad or lax regime in cleaning your teeth and braces will be bad breath, stains and more visits to the dentist. The solution is quite simple though, and there are some very good devices to help you overcome the problem. Rinsing first will help to dislodge any bacterium that has built up in the night, when we sleep our saliva glands stop working and that gives bacteria a better chance to breed. Flossing is important as well, so floss with extra care and vigour to dislodge food residue and bacteria build up. Then comes the brushing, and this needs to be done with more visual contact than usual, making sure that you get in between the teeth and around the braces. Whether you use a hand brush or an electric one there are extra brushes you can get to help with braces. A proxabrush is what you are looking for in the chemist shop, these are designed to allow you to get under the braces and under the solder edges to remove that plaque. When flossing, remember that you need to also floss in between and under the wire, it will take a little longer, but it will reap you big rewards in the end. Remember that you will also need to see your dentist every 3 months as opposed to every 6 months on normal visits; they will rid you of any tartar build up. This will make your breath fresher and keep it fresher for longer, but drinking water throughout the day will also help a lot with acid production.