The New Year brings a fresh start. It’s the perfect time to develop new habits—especially healthy oral hygiene habits. We’re deeming 2021 the year of perfect smiles! Committing to your oral hygiene, whether you have braces or not, will benefit you for a lifetime.
So let’s start the New Year off the right way with positive orthodontic care, oral hygiene for braces wearers and the best braces care tips.
Habit #1: Brush at least Twice Daily; Floss at least Once Daily
We know you’ve heard this one before, but we can’t stress this enough. If you don’t commit to regular brushing and flossing, you’re paving the way for some bad braces hygiene! That means yellow teeth, bad breath, plaque build-up, possible gum disease—and the list goes on.
Food easily gets stuck in between teeth and within brackets and wires. (If you wear braces, you know how difficult it is to keep a spotless smile after every meal.) A simple brush and floss can prevent food particles and bacteria from building up and leading to further oral concerns.
All throughout 2021 (and beyond), we’re brushing our teeth in the morning, brushing after as many meals as we can, brushing again at night and flossing to achieve beautiful smiles.
Habit #2: Don’t miss your orthodontic or dental appointments!
When you visit us for your complimentary consultation, we tell you everything you need to know about how to maintain oral hygiene throughout your orthodontic treatment.
It’s important to remember that your orthodontic appointments don’t take the place of your regular dental appointments, and your dental appointments can’t replace your orthodontic appointments! Both routine visits are essential for creating a healthy, aligned smile.
Throughout your orthodontic treatment, you’ll visit your dentist every 6 months, or as often as her or she advises. Every 8 to 10 weeks, depending on your personalized treatment plan, you’ll visit Dr. King to have your braces adjusted and your progress monitored!
During your routine ortho visits, Dr. King will examine your teeth and bite to ensure that everything is going according to plan. If we detect a problematic oral condition appearing, we want to be able to discuss it with you and reverse it as soon as possible. This could mean discussing better oral hygiene habits with you or working with your dentist. The sooner we’re able to intervene with an oral condition, the quicker we’re able to get you back on track to your new smile.
Habit #3: Keep a braces cleaner kit on-hand.
Carry a small cleaning kit with you, when you go to school or work, to support an effective braces cleaning routine on-the-go. We know you’re busy! We know you probably don’t have access to your home bathroom after every meal.
Whether you’re in middle school, college, or you have a job, carrying a braces cleaner kit around will come in super handy during your treatment. This kit doesn’t have to be hefty! All you need is a travel-sized toothbrush with toothpaste and a small container of floss. You can add a proxabrush or some dental picks too if you want.
Use your cleaner kit after each snack or meal to keep your smile free of food and bacteria. You know that moment after you had a lengthy conversation with someone and you look in the mirror to realize you had a green speck of food in your front braces bracket the whole time? It happens! With a braces care kit, you’ll be able to take care of the embarrassing specks before the awkward moment of realization.
We’re maximizing our self-confidence in 2021! Life is way more enjoyable when you smile confidently, laugh with friends, and snap some beautiful selfies. Caring for your braces properly by committing to these oral hygiene habits will empower you to love your healthy smile from the beginning of the year, to the day you get your braces off—and every day after that.
If you have any questions about the best oral hygiene habits for braces or Invisalign®, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Our team loves to hear from you! We’re here to guide you through your orthodontic treatment to ensure the greatest possible end results.
If an incredible smile is on your New Year’s resolution list, let’s get started today with your complimentary consultation in Jupiter, FL!