Good Hygiene While Wearing Houston Braces

Some patients think that getting Houston braces installed is the hard part. However, any Houston family dentist will tell you that getting braces means making a few lifestyle changes, especially with regard to oral and dental hygiene. But not to worry, these adjustments are relatively minor, and they include habits that patients would like to keep even after their Houston braces have been taken off.

Oral Hygiene Practices With Houston Braces

While your Houston braces get to work fixing crooked or misaligned teeth, the patient maintains the responsibility of keeping their smile clean and bright. That means following these tips from their South Houston dentist:

Brush Your Teeth and Houston Braces After Every Meal or Snack

This may sound like a hassle, but your teeth will thank you in the long run. South Houston family dentists recommend using a toothbrush with soft and round bristles so that they can reach every crack and crevice in and around your Houston braces. Hold the brush with the bristles pointing towards your gums at an angle of 45 degrees. Aside from brushing your gumline, be sure to pay special attention to the areas above and below the brackets of your braces.

Make Flossing Your Houston Braces a Daily Habit

Unfortunately, brushing your teeth alone won’t clean every nook and cranny of your teeth or your braces. That’s why any Houston dentist will recommend that you learn to floss your teeth. If your traditional dental floss is uncomfortable or inconvenient, consider interdental brushes or even a water flosser to clean the areas between each tooth and the hard-to-reach components of your braces.

Use an Antibacterial Mouthwash to Keep Your Houston Braces Fresh and Clean

To round out your dental hygiene routine, an antimicrobial mouthwash can provide lasting protection between meals. It can also reach areas of your teeth or surfaces of your braces that you might be unable to with either a toothbrush or floss.

Keep Your Houston Braces Tuned With Regular South Houston Family Dentist Appointments

Your Houston braces will need to be adjusted and maintained over time to make sure that they’re doing their job. This is especially true for younger patients, who need a South Houston pediatric dentistry expert to account for a child or teenager’s behaviors and natural growth.

Foods to Avoid While Wearing Houston Braces

As a general rule, your Houston family dentist will tell you that hard and sticky foods are a no-no when wearing Houston braces. Those who defy these restrictions will find themselves paying the price either through the inconvenience of cleaning their teeth and braces, or through discomfort when such foods knock their braces out of alignment, needing a visit to the Houston family dentist to set them right. The most common examples of food to avoid include hard candies, chewing gum, taffy, caramel, jellybeans, nuts, and popcorn.

Get Affordable Braces from a Trustworthy South Houston Family Dentist

At Centra Dental, we believe in making visits to the dentist as stress-free and as pleasant as possible. Our team of highly-skilled and experienced dental professionals believes in being as helpful and caring as they can to each of our patients. Centra Dental accepts most PDP, DPPO, and PPO dental insurance plans, as well as CHIP and both Adult and Children's Medicaid, allowing us to be your trusted source for affordable braces. Call today to set an appointment and experience the Centra Dental difference!