Braces do more than just make your smile look fabulous. They are an investment in strong, healthy teeth. You avoid unnecessary wear on teeth that are properly aligned. Feel free to ask Dr. Stephanie Nowysz, your dentist in Iowa City, how eliminating crowded or overlapping teeth helps make cleaning teeth an easier task and can help prevent decay down the road.

Reasons to Take Dental Hygiene Seriously

It’s not all about polishing the brackets. Just because you can’t see your teeth well, it does not mean your daily activities will spare them from plaque build-up, decay, or staining. Brushing and flossing are more important than ever when wearing braces. Remember to ask Dr. Nowysz, the best dentist Iowa City has to offer, about the consequences of slacking on dental hygiene when wearing braces.

What are some of the possible consequences of sub-par daily care?

1. Any additional treatment needed while wearing braces can delay your treatment schedule. Keeping teeth clean and shiny can help prevent cavity formation, so you stay on your regular adjustment schedule.

2. When brackets are removed, do you want to see a super white square outlined with a layer or plaque and stains or a smooth white tooth? Proper brushing after each meal, and flossing with care given to the spaces under wires and around brackets, it is possible to see smooth white teeth on reveal day.

How can I set myself up for success?

Assemble your dental hygiene kit and find a carry case so it can go with you anytime you go out to eat. At the minimum, you need a soft toothbrush and floss. An interdental brush is great for the first pass to remove food bits before brushing. An interproximal brush is best for reaching gaps and is particularly good for people with fixed appliances. A floss threader can make getting the floss over your wire a bit easier, which makes you more likely to do it daily as recommended by Dr. Nowysz, the top dentist Iowa City residents trust for guidance on good oral health care habits.

Get to Work

Use the interdental brush to clear out gunk from under the wires and around the brackets. Gently floss after using a floss threader to position floss behind the archwire. You can count on angles to help your soft toothbrush do the trick. Don’t brush harder. Listen to your dentist in Iowa City and brush smarter.

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