Looking after your teeth

Here at the Bachmayer Orthodontic Clinic, we often get asked whether patients can still clean their teeth while they're wearing braces. The answer is, yes! And we'll show you how. We also tell our patients it's incredibly important they do so as any deterioration in the health of your teeth can have implications for the success of your treatment.

Here are 10 top tips for looking after your teeth while wearing braces.

• Use a soft bristled toothbrush with a small head to clean your teeth. Alternatively, you can use an electric or sonic toothbrush.
• Use toothpaste which contains at least 1350 - 1500ppm of fluoride.
• Brush your teeth after every meal and snack. This includes when you're out. If you can't for any reason, then chew some sugar-free gum.
• If you have eaten while away from home, use your interdental brush to dislodge any food that has caught around your braces.
• Rinse with water to dislodge food from your braces, and to keep sugar from sitting on your teeth.
• Floss your teeth at least once a day.
• Use disclosing tablets. These help to identify any areas of plaque on your teeth that may be building up and enables you to see where you need to give your teeth an extra clean.
• Keep an eye on your gums. It's important these stay healthy as well. If you notice any part of your gums becoming inflamed or swollen, let us know. This could be a sign of gum disease, also known as gingivitis.
• If you smoke, try to give up. Smoking can severely damage and discolour your teeth.
• Book a check up with your dentist every six months.