7 Definitive Hacks (for Your Oral Health)

Last Updated on April 22, 2019 by Guest Post

Your family’s oral health should always be at the forefront of your mind. Almost everything you do involves your teeth. For instance, your teeth help to shape your speech, and you clearly know the impact of flashing a beautiful smile.

While you may understand the importance of brushing and flossing, it often gets harder to stay on top of when life gets busy. You may also be inadvertently causing damage to your teeth through everyday activities such as drinking your favorite beverage. Since healthy teeth and gums are so important to the outcome of your orthodontic treatment, we’ve provided you with this definitive guide. This guide helps you get the most out of having braces.

Establish an Oral Health Routine

Routines help you to remember to do important things for your health. If you are out of the habit of brushing your teeth, then add it to your schedule. Knowing that you brush your teeth every night after dinner and again first thing in the morning helps you to eventually just do it without even thinking. Even with flossing, cleaning your teeth at home only takes a few minutes. It is more about just remembering to do it.

Check On Your Kid’s Oral Health Efforts

Once your kid reaches a certain age, it is easy to let go and assume that they do a good job brushing their teeth. However, most children still need assistance with their oral hygiene until they are seven. After that, your child still needs you to check on their progress by remembering to clean their teeth. This is especially important when they are wearing orthodontic appliances that may require them to add a few small steps to their current hygiene routine.

Watch Out for Damaging Food and Drinks

Your teeth are constantly being bombarded by acids in food and drinks that break down the enamel and can lead to decay. Adults and teens should use caution with beverages such as coffee and energy drinks. These tend to be highly acidic and laden with sugar. Sticky foods, such as caramel and fruit chews, are also bad for teeth since they can adhere to the surface for hours after you eat.

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If you do consume a sugary or acidic treat, then rinse your mouth out with water. You may also choose to brush your teeth about half an hour later to further reduce the residue. Keep in mind, however, that wearing traditional braces may mean that you have to stop consuming those sticky treats anyway.

Understand How Mouth Structure Impacts Oral Health

Orthodontic treatment is not only about aesthetics. You may have things wrong with your teeth alignment that make it hard to take care of your teeth. For instance, teeth that are too close together trap food particles between them that you might not be able to remove with just brushing alone. Poor tooth alignment can also cause the biting surfaces of your top and bottom teeth to hit each other too hard.

Eventually, this leads to small fractures that are prone to decay. In the worst case scenario, your teeth could completely break if the biting forces are strong. An improper bite can also cause nighttime teeth grinding that has similar risks for slowly breaking down your teeth over time and causing you to lose control over your oral health.

Mention Issues That You Have With Brushing and Flossing

When you visit your orthodontist, they need to know about anything that makes caring for your teeth and gums challenging. Always mention things such as noticing that dental floss gets stuck between your teeth or that you are always having to get food out of a specific space.

These types of things let us know that there are areas in your mouth that impact your ability to keep your teeth clean. If you are the type who never brushes, then we need to know that, too. Instead of judging, we can offer solutions that help you take care of your teeth during treatment.

Explore Different Types of Orthodontic Treatments

We can offer several different types of treatment that help you take care of your oral hygiene. For instance, adults may prefer to wear removable aligner trays that make it easier to brush and floss their teeth. For some teens, fixed metal brackets and wires may be the better option if they are likely to forget to put aligner trays back in their mouth.

However, fixed appliances may not be the best solution if a teen is lax about brushing their teeth since the brackets and wires do have a tendency to trap food.

Pediatric Oral Health – Nicole Hetzer, MD

Follow Your Home Care Instructions

Before you leave the office, your orthodontist will fill you in on the best ways to take care of your new appliances. For children, make sure to carefully read the instructions yourself so that you can make sure that your child follows them. You may also need to set up an oral hygiene station at home.  Everything your child needs to stay on top of things should be there.

For instance, some kids prefer to use water flossers instead of traditional floss. Or they may need a space to store their rubber bands. You will also need to keep up with your regular cleanings. And exams too, to check for problems that can develop while you are wearing an appliance.

Protect Your Beautiful Smile

While people often worry about decay, one of the biggest threats to your teeth is general damage from an injury. Make sure kids wear a mouth guard when they play sports, especially if they are wearing metal brackets and wires.

Adults can ask about wearing a nighttime mouth guard if they grind their teeth. Protecting your smile helps you to avoid chips and enamel erosion that detract from their appearance and leave you vulnerable to decay.

Contact us Today

At Beach Braces, Dr. Panucci and her team do more than just make beautiful smiles. We also make sure that the treatment we provide makes it easier to take care of your teeth. Reach out to us today to get started on creating a healthy smile that lasts a lifetime.

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220 N. Aviation Blvd. Suite A
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
Phone: (310) 379-0006

7 Definitive Hacks (for Your Oral Health)

Dr Patricia Panucci

Dr Patti Panucci attended the University of Louisville School of Dentistry for four years, where she graduated with a DMD degree (May 2000) among the Top 10 in her class. Following that, she headed west to Los Angeles to complete her three-year residency at one of the top-ranked orthodontic programs in the country – the University of Southern California.

Along with her certificate in orthodontics, Dr. Panucci earned a master’s degree in craniofacial biology. During those three years, she fell in love with Southern California beach life and decided that this was where her future lay.