Gum disease is a deteriorating dental issue and can ultimately result in infected gums and loose and lost teeth if not treated. This disease forms when plaque is not regularly removed from your teeth. Wearing braces can make it difficult to thoroughly remove plaque from your smile each day. So, to help you avoid gum disease when you have braces, our Shadowridge Orthodontics orthodontic team encourages you to do the following things:
Brush your teeth
Make sure you brush your teeth for two minutes twice a day. Brushing helps remove the plaque from the surfaces of your teeth and it also kills the harmful bacteria and germs that can also create tooth decay. When you brush, use a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste. Do your best to brush thoroughly along the gumline but be gentle as you do so.
Floss your smile
Flossing is very beneficial because it not only reduces your chances of developing gum disease, but it also cleans the hard-to-reach areas of your mouth that your brush could not clean. When the floss removes the plaque and food particles from the crevices of your smile, your teeth and gums have a better chance at surviving.
Visit your dentist
There is one treatment that will completely remove the plaque from your smile and that treatment is a dental cleaning. It’s very important that you receive a dental cleaning every six months so your dental team can clean your smile and save your gums. They will also remove the plaque that has gathered near your orthodontic brackets.
Call Shadowridge Orthodontics now at 760-598-1707 if you have any questions or if you would like to talk to your orthodontist, Dr. Jerrold Hennes, about gum disease and braces in Vista, California. We look forward to hearing from you!