Don’t Let Your Orthodontic Treatment Keep You From Having White Teeth

Having to go through orthodontic braces treatment can be a culture shock. It may take some time for you to get used to the metal braces in your mouth, the wires that connect them or even the movement of your teeth. There is also that fear that, when you’ve completed braces treatment and after Dr. Jaffe removes the appliances, you will have a white-ish square where those brackets once were, surrounded by a tint of yellow or cream due to staining or discoloration on your teeth. Fortunately, there is a way to keeping your teeth white beyond just keeping them healthy and sparkly clean. Here are a few tips we’d like to share with you to help make sure your teeth will stay white throughout orthodontic braces treatment.

3 Oral Hygiene Tips In Order To Keep Your Teeth White During Braces Treatment

Proper oral hygiene is imperative to make sure you maintain good oral health during braces treatment. Further, practicing good oral hygiene can also help keep your teeth white. Here’s what you can do to help make sure your teeth stay white:

1. Brush your teeth after every meal – Before brushing, swish a little mouthwash around in your mouth if you can, or just some water to help loosen up any food particles. Angle the brush upward and downward, depending on the area in your mouth and brush in a circular motion. Because you have braces, you want to take your time. It should typically take at least 2 1/2 minutes to thoroughly brush your teeth. This may seem like a long time, but you definitely want to make sure that you keep your teeth as healthy as possible during orthodontic treatment. Upgrading to an electric toothbrush can be quite beneficial for guaranteeing a deep clean. Also, an interdental brush is helpful for getting underneath wires. When using an interdental brush, you can give your teeth a deeper cleaning by adding a little toothpaste to it.
2. Gargle with mouthwash – Gargling and rinsing your mouth with mouthwash can help prevent food particles from staying in your mouth and developing bacteria that can be harmful to your teeth and overall oral health. Gargling once in the morning and once in the evening using a mouthwash with fluoride can help keep your teeth clean and avoid staining. After using mouthwash, wait at least 20 minutes before eating something to allow the mouthwash to complete its job.
3. Floss everyday – Flossing daily helps to prevent buildup between your teeth and brackets. Doing this helps stop buildup from developing and prevents discolored teeth. Using a water flosser can also help remove any build up and plaque beneath the gum line, giving your mouth a deeper clean.
4. Brush each tooth individually – In the evening, try to brush your teeth one at a time. Give each tooth individual attention, focusing most especially on the areas that actually touch your brackets. Build up in that area can cause discoloration, so the more often you tend to that area, it is less likely for staining to occur.

Other Tips To Help Keep Your Teeth White With Braces

Beyond practicing proper oral care, there are other things you can do to help keep your teeth white or even just look whiter with braces on.

• Minimize sugar intake
• Avoid consuming teeth staining drinks and foods (strawberries, berries, coffee, sodas, etc.)
• Make sure to see your dentist for bi-annual cleaning appointments

Get A Straight, White Smile With Jaffe Orthodontics Today!

Dr. Jaffe is glad to provide quality orthodontic care and orthodontic treatments for patients of all ages in the Barrington, Bristol and Portsmouth, RI areas. More than that, we strive to help you attain a healthy, straight smile by equipping you with knowledge on best practices for a successful treatment. Please take the tips above into consideration and contact us with any questions you may have regarding your braces treatment or other services we offer in our office. We are always here to help you throughout your braces treatment.

Share on