The ultimate goal of the braces installed by Dr. John Fleming is to realign your teeth for a more functional mouth and an appealing smile. This is done by performing timely adjustments to apply progressive tension to the periodontal ligaments that hold your teeth in position. Should any part of your braces be damaged or you develop tooth decay issues, it could increase the duration of the realignment process.
That being said Dr. John Fleming offers these key insights to help you clean and maintain your braces every day.
Chewing gum and eating sticky foods, is one of the most common causes of damage on braces. This can easily bend wires, loosen brackets or even pull out a spacer. Crunching on hard foods, chewing ice and hard candies also poses an equally serious threat. This also extends to bad habits like chewing on hard pens and pencils or using your teeth as tools.
Should something become damaged or knocked loose, you can secure any sharp points in the orthodontic wax you were given. This will protect your cheek and gums from puncture or laceration. If you don’t happen to have the wax on hand, you can improvise with a piece of a pencil eraser.
Cavities also pose a serious threat to the relationship between your brackets and teeth. Brushing and flossing twice a day will remove most food particles and plaque from your teeth. If you have trouble cleaning around the braces or flossing the spaces between your teeth, you might want to try using interdental brushes or a floss threader with wax coated floss.
If you have questions about how to adequately clean and maintain your braces, you can always call Dr. John Fleming’s clinic in Alpharetta, Georgia office at 770-901-2433 to ask a question.