6 Tips for Caring for Ceramic Braces

To feel the most confident while wearing your ceramic braces, you need to take really good care of the braces. The elastic ligatures or ties used to hold the wire which run though the brackets are prone to staining. Usually clear or white ligatures are used with ceramic braces for a more discrete look, but these elastics are susceptible to color degradation if you eat foods such as curry or drink coffee.

Here are 6 tips for caring for your ceramic braces:

1. Brush Your Teeth After Every Meal

While you would normally brush your teeth two or three times a day, with ceramic braces you should brush your teeth after every meal to prevent staining. This good habit will ensure that all food color and plaque and bacteria are immediately washed out of your mouth, leaving your teeth and braces fresh and clean. You will have less risk of tooth decay during your orthodontic treatment if you do this as well.

2. Don’t Forget to Floss and Rinse

You want to do everything possible to keep your teeth and ceramic braces looking good so make sure to floss after each meal as well as even after snacks if possible. And in the morning and at night use mouthwash to reach all those nooks and crannies that hard to get with the toothbrush and floss. Most orthodontists recommend getting a water pick to make it easier to get all the food particles and plaque that can build up during the day.

3. Avoid Smoking

Smoking is bad for your health for lots of reasons and on top of that it also tends to stain your ceramic braces, the elastic ligatures/ties, and your teeth giving everything an unhealthy looking yellow sheen. And these stains tend to get really deep and are hard to remove. If you are a smoker, but want to get ceramic braces, it is best to go cold turkey before even getting them put on.

4. Learn What Foods to Avoid

Red colored food like tomatoes and tomato paste are big stain culprits so you should avoiding eating them during your treatment. Mustard, soda, coffee and wine are also to be abstained from as well.

5. Avoid Whitening Toothpaste

While using whitening toothpaste might seem like a good idea to keep your teeth and braces looking their best that is not really the case. Because the toothpaste can’t get behind the ceramic braces, you will have different shading of your teeth when the braces finally come off.

6. Keep all Your Regular Orthodontic Appointments

Remember the best way to keep track of your oral health and teeth appearance during your treatment is not to miss any of your orthodontic appointments. This way you will get the adjustments you need and any replacements that will you maintain a beautiful smile all the way through your treatment.

Here are also some more general tips for taking care of your braces:

• Soothing the Pain Related to Braces. A common complaint from patients wearing braces is that they experiences some soreness and discomfort from the tightness of the wires or the chafing of loose wires inside your mouth. Ask your orthodontist about special wax that can help protect the inside of your mouth. You can also try a pain reliever like Orajel. If the pain gets severe, call your Orthodontist right away.
• Always Be Prepared. If you are on the go all the time, it can be difficult to always make time to brush and floss and take care of your mouth properly. If you are prepared for any situation however, you will never have to worry about not be able to practice good oral hygiene again. Just make yourself a little kit complete with a toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, and wax that you can carry with you all the time.
• How to Handle Damage to Your Braces. It is inevitable that at some point the wear and tear of daily living is going to damage your braces. If one of your wires or brackets break, but there was no damage to the teeth themselves, then don’t panic. There is no need to rush in for an emergency appointment. Also avoid bending the wire or trying to pull it out. That will only cause more damage. Instead just cover any sharp edges with wax and make an appointment to see your orthodontist as soon as possible.

Author

David Lee Board Certified Orthodontist in Concord CA Metal Braces, Clear Braces, Self-ligating braces, Invisalign, Clear Aligners Serving San Francisco and East Bay area including Concord, Pleasant Hill, Bay Point, Clayton, Martinez, Walnut Creek, Pittsburg, Lafayette, Alamo, Benicia, Orinda, Moraga, Danville, San Ramon, Hercules, Berkeley, and Oakland.