At Kemp Orthodontics, we know nobody likes to get plaque on his or her teeth. Here are five other ways you can avoid that dreaded enemy of the teeth during orthodontic treatment, courtesy of WebMD.
Start with brushing regularly. Brushing your teeth twice a day with toothpaste is vital to a healthy mouth. Make sure you brush all the surfaces of your teeth.
Next on the list is flossing daily. A simple daily flossing between teeth clears away plaque before it can cause damage and can also clean plaque at the gum line. Plaque is known to accumulate in the spaces between teeth.
Neglecting to visit your dentist is not a great idea. Let's say you brush and floss daily. You're still at risk for plaque. With time, the plaque hardens and turns into tartar. Consider visiting your general dentist at least twice a year or as recommended by Dr. Kemp. If you visited your dentist regularly, you have a lower chance of getting cavities while wearing braces.
You also want to fuel up on fruits and veggies. Believe it or not, there are foods out there that play a key role in keeping plaque off our teeth. They include apples, carrots, cucumbers and other raw fruits and vegetables. You can still eat these types of crunchy fruits and veggies even when wearing braces IF you cut them up into bite-sized pieces to avoid breaking brackets and wires.
Finally, refuse to give in to your sweet tooth! Consuming sugary drinks or eating candy or other junk food allows sugar to stick to our teeth. Bacteria loves sugar. This bacteria feeds on the sticky sugar and then creates plaque, which turns into acid and damages our teeth.
Avoiding these five bad habits keeps plaque in check and your mouth healthy during your orthodontic treatment at Kemp Orthodontics.
If you have any questions, visit our website, give us a call, or ask us on Facebook!
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