Bad Habits to Kick with Braces

Wearing braces is a big responsibility, but the end result is worth it. Patients come out with a straight and healthy smile they can be proud of. Garrison Family Dentistry of Smithville, MO wants to remind our patients of the guidelines to wearing braces. Read on to refresh your memory!

The hardware that creates braces is strong; however, it can be broken. It’s important to keep this in mind to avoiding breakage and delayed treatment. When eating, be sure you are staying away from hard, crunchy, and sticky foods. Also, avoid biting objects like pen caps, fingernails, etc. Even if the hardware does not break, the pressure can delay treatment or even harm your teeth.

While brushing your teeth, do so carefully. You should never brush too abrasively anyway as scrubbing harshly at teeth can wear down enamel. Brushing too harshly can also cause brackets to pop off and it can damage wires.

One more thing to keep in mind is that daily afternoon pop. If you are a pop drinker or if you frequently suck on hard candy, you may want to consider cutting down. The excess sugar can become trapped easier and cause cavities in addition to staining.

Take care of your braces so when they come off, you have a healthy and good-looking smile. To schedule an appointment in our Smithville, MO office, call us at (816) 532-8778 or visit our Garrison Family Dentistry website, www.garrisondentistry.com.

 

How to Avoid Staining with Braces

After your braces are taken off, you will be shocked at how beautiful your smile looks! However, you do not also want to be shocked by uneven staining. At Garrison Family Dentistry in Smithville, MO, we want our patients to know how to take extra care of their teeth with braces. Follow these tips to avoiding smile staining while wearing braces.

 

Good Oral Care

Brushing twice per day and flossing once per day is even more important while you are wearing braces. You will also want to brush after meals. Just be sure you wait at least thirty minutes after meals to brush, so you do not harm your enamel.

 

Dental Supplies

Interdental cleaners will help you clean around your brackets better since a full-sized toothbrush cannot fit underneath your wires. These are very small brushes shaped like pine trees. You will also want to invest in floss that has a built-in threader or threaders to floss with. They help speed up your flossing routine.

 

Beware of Stain-Causing Foods and Drinks

You also may want to steer clear of dark drinks and foods that could contribute to staining. Cranberries, coffee, tea, and ketchup are a few examples. In addition, sip dark liquids through a straw when you do have them. This will limit the contact is has with your teeth.

 

Ready for a beautiful smile? Contact Garrison Family Dentistry of Smithville, MO. To schedule an appointment, call our office at (816) 532-8778 or visit our website, www.garrisondentistry.com. 

Fluoride Treatment

Fluoride is a natural mineral found throughout the earth’s crust and widely distributed in nature and is often added to water to help reduce tooth decay. Research has shown that fluoride not only reduces cavities in children and adults, but it also helps repair the early stages of tooth decay, even before the decay is visible. Here at Garrison Family Dentistry, our doctors can discuss professional fluoride treatments with you to see if you are a prime candidate.

When fluoride reaches your teeth, it is absorbed into the enamel. Fluoride helps to repair the enamel by replenishing the lost calcium and phosphorus to keep your teeth hard through a process called remineralization. When fluoride is present during this process, the minerals deposited into the tooth enamel help strengthen your teeth and prevent dissolution during the next demineralization phase. The results are stronger tooth enamel and a cavity-free grin.

If you have questions about fluoride treatment, don’t hesitate to give us a call. To learn more about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.garrisondentistry.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Garrison Family Dentistry here in Smithville, MO, call 816-532-8778.