Put the Extra Effort in Your Oral Hygiene While Wearing Braces

The journey to a straighter smile with braces can be difficult. One of the biggest dangers you’ll face is an increased risk of periodontal (gum) disease.Gum disease is caused by dental plaque, a thin film of bacteria and food particles on tooth surfaces. To curtail plaque growth, you must brush and floss daily and visit your dentist regularly for more thorough cleanings. If you don’t, accumulated plaque can trigger an infection with potentially disastrous consequences for your dental health.But wearing braces can make you more vulnerable to gum disease. The braces and wires can get in the way of brushing and flossing. To add to the difficulty, the gums often react to being in close proximity to braces, causing their tissues to swell or overgrow. And if the patient is a teenager, the normal hormonal surge that occurs during these years could compound this vulnerability even more.To prevent an infection, you’ll need to practice extra diligence cleaning your teeth with brushing and flossing. It takes more time and effort, but it’s worth it to lower your disease risk. To help even more, consider using tools like specialized brushes that can maneuver better around hardware and floss threaders that can get floss under wires. You might also consider a water flosser, which uses pressurized water to remove plaque between teeth.In addition to your orthodontic visits, you should also maintain your regular cleaning schedule with your family dentist—or more often if they recommend. Besides cleaning, your dentist also monitors for signs of developing gum disease. They can also prescribe mouthrinses for controlling bacterial growth.Even with diligent hygiene, your gums may still adversely react to the braces. This may not be a problem if your gum tissues don’t appear to be detaching from the teeth. But your dentist or orthodontist may recommend you see a periodontist (a gum specialist) to help monitor that aspect of your care. In extreme cases, it may be necessary to remove the braces and allow the gums to heal.Keeping your teeth clean and your mouth disease-free is no easy task while wearing braces. But it can be done—and with your dentist’s help, you can achieve a straighter and healthier smile.If you would like more information on dental care while wearing braces, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Gum Swelling During Orthodontics.”