Ammar Idlibi is a pediatric dentist who specializes in treating
children who require orthodontic work. Of course, he also understands
that braces and other orthodontic appliances can make it difficult to
clean teeth properly, so the following steps should help people who are
looking to maintain their dental hygiene.
Consider a Proxabrush
While a regular toothbrush should be adequate for cleaning teeth with braces, assuming that it has soft bristles and the brush is a good fit for your mouth, you may wish to consider purchasing a proxabrush. The Christmas tree design of this type of brush will often allow you to reach areas of your mouth that are difficult to access when wearing braces, thus ensuring a better clean.
Keep 2x2 in Mind
Even if you are wearing braces, you should still keep the 2x2 rule in mind. This means that you need to brush your teeth twice a day for 2 minutes during each session. Try splitting your mouth into four quadrants and spending 30 seconds on each one in order to ensure you spend an adequate amount of time brushing. You should also pay special attention to your tongue and the chewing areas of your teeth.
Handling Tenderness
Orthodontics can often make a child’s mouth more sensitive to brushing, which can result in pain in some cases. Ammar Idlibi notes that this is completely normal, but it can often put children off from brushing regularly. Consider purchasing light pain relievers to help your child feel better after brushing, until their mouth adjusts to their new orthodontics.
Consider a Proxabrush
While a regular toothbrush should be adequate for cleaning teeth with braces, assuming that it has soft bristles and the brush is a good fit for your mouth, you may wish to consider purchasing a proxabrush. The Christmas tree design of this type of brush will often allow you to reach areas of your mouth that are difficult to access when wearing braces, thus ensuring a better clean.
Keep 2x2 in Mind
Even if you are wearing braces, you should still keep the 2x2 rule in mind. This means that you need to brush your teeth twice a day for 2 minutes during each session. Try splitting your mouth into four quadrants and spending 30 seconds on each one in order to ensure you spend an adequate amount of time brushing. You should also pay special attention to your tongue and the chewing areas of your teeth.
Handling Tenderness
Orthodontics can often make a child’s mouth more sensitive to brushing, which can result in pain in some cases. Ammar Idlibi notes that this is completely normal, but it can often put children off from brushing regularly. Consider purchasing light pain relievers to help your child feel better after brushing, until their mouth adjusts to their new orthodontics.
