A very common question that we hear at Smiles Hollywood Orthodontics, is If I have braces, do I still need to go to the dentist? This is a great question and the answer in a nutshell is Yes, you do need to go to the dentist for your regular cleanings. When you have braces, oral hygiene is SUPER important. It is always important to keep your teeth clean with or without braces, but when you have braces on your teeth it is of utmost importance to have your teeth cleaned at least every 6 months and if you have any periodontal issues, you could need to go every three to four months for a cleaning.
Dr. Crise, who is one of our fantastic orthodontists here at Smiles Hollywood Orthodontics, goes to a lot of the elementary schools during national dental hygiene month and does a presentation to all of the students teaching them the importance of brushing their teeth properly. She also hands out little goody bags with information for the students to take home, so they know the best way to brush their teeth and to keep them clean. She also answers the question of If I have braces, do I still need to go to the dentist? Brushing your teeth with braces on is extremely different than brushing them without braces. When you have braces on your teeth, you are brushing around all of the brackets and wires and bands. There are a lot of places for food and bacteria to hide when braces are on your teeth. At Smiles Hollywood Orthodontics, we go over tooth brushing in detail with each patient who gets braces.
When asking yourself If I have braces, do I still need to go to the dentist? The answer is YES! It is more important than ever to go to the dentist when you have braces or any type of orthodontic appliance in your mouth. Oral hygiene is very difficult when you have metal and wires in your mouth, so with a professional cleaning, the dentist is able to clean all those hard to reach areas with their special tools that can get into all the crevices and areas that food and bacteria can hide around the braces.
There are some very good hygiene tools that can be used each day at home when you have braces or orthodontic appliances in your mouth. The number one thing is the use of a good soft toothbrush or electric toothbrush. So, when asking yourself, If I have braces, do I still need to go to the dentist? Yes, you do, but there are some ways at home that you can help yourself to achieve excellent dental hygiene. An electric toothbrush is really nice to have because it keeps the bacteria and food out of the difficult to reach places. Also, the wonderful thing about an electric toothbrush is that the toothbrush does all the work, and the patient just guides it along. It is important to let the brush do the work and not brush too hard near the gum areas. If you brush too hard around the gum areas, you can get recession of the gums, where the gums start to lift away from the tooth. This is not healthy for your teeth or gums.
Another great tool to use at home when you have braces is a water pick. Water picks are so easy to use, and they can be used in the shower as well, so the water does not get all over the floor and sink areas. The steady stream of water can get up under the brackets and wires and help to remove all of the food that may get stuck in between teeth. This helps so much in preventing cavities and decay.
So, when you are asking yourself, If I have braces, do I still need to go to the dentist? You can see that it is VERY important to go to your dentist at least every six months for a good cleaning. If your dentist or orthodontist recommends that you go to the dentist every three months for cleanings, make sure that you do this. Some patients are just more prone to cavities and so they especially need to have a professional dental cleaning done more often to preserve their teeth. Having braces on your teeth makes it very difficult to clean all of the little areas around the brackets and wires, therefore getting professional cleanings more often can really guard against getting cavities.
At Smiles Hollywood Orthodontics, each patient that has braces placed on their teeth, is given an oral hygiene kit that the orthodontic assistant shows them how to use. The kit includes a toothbrush, toothpaste, a special flosser and wax. Our qualified assistant will show our patients how to properly brush their teeth in tiny, small circles, so they do not harm their gums by brushing too hard. It is also very important to floss your teeth when you have braces. However, it is a little more difficult to floss because of the wires being in the way. So, our orthodontic assistant will show our patients how to do this with a special tool called a floss threader. It is not hard to brush and floss with braces, but it does take more time than when a person does not have braces. So, more time needs to be allotted in the morning and evening to properly brush and floss your teeth. Also, patients will want to rinse their mouth out with water multiple times a day, especially after meals and eating snacks. You do not want any kind of sugar sitting on your teeth around the brackets and wires because this could cause cavities and decay.
At Smiles Hollywood Orthodontics, we are here to help you every step of the way while in braces. Oral hygiene is an important part of the braces process. So, the question, If I have braces, do I still need to go to the dentist, is a very important question and the answer is yes, for sure! It is so important to have professional cleanings done regularly, but especially while in braces. We would love to answer any questions that you may have about braces or Invisalign Clear Aligner treatment. The first step is to call our office at 972-529-9700 or schedule online here and set up a complimentary exam with our highly experienced orthodontist. We look forward to hearing from you soon!