Dental check-ups and professional cleaning are very important when you have braces!
If you have braces or your children have braces, it’s important to practice proper daily cleaning and care — but it’s also necessary to schedule regular appointments with your Dentist to ensure the teeth are healthy.
Dental hygiene is a very important part of your treatment. Without it, food tends to become trapped in and around your braces, encouraging the accumulation of plaque, a colourless film of bacteria. The bacteria in plaque react with the sugars and starches in food and form an acid that can eat away the enamel on your teeth, leading to cavities.
If you allow plaque to accumulate around your braces, it can leave permanent stains on your teeth, as in the photo below, when your braces are removed. This damage is called decalcification and these lines and spots will remain on your teeth for life.
Periodontal disease, caused by the build-up of plaque may also occur. The plaque accumulation irritates the gums around your teeth, leading to bleeding and swelling. Over time, this plaque build-up may harden into a substance called tartar. As tartar accumulates, a condition called periodontitis will develop, causing a gap to form between your gums and teeth.
As scary as these conditions are, they’re all easily avoidable. By brushing and flossing regularly, you’ll keep your teeth and gums in top condition and ensure that your orthodontic treatment will deliver the healthiest smile possible in the shortest period of time.
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