How to manage dental care with fixed braces

Fixed braces are trendy because the results are visible after just a few months. Teenagers and even adults like to look in the mirror and see their smile with a straight, beautiful set of teeth. In addition, fixed braces also correct crowded teeth. Such a misaligned bite makes it difficult to thoroughly remove plaque in the interdental spaces and can lead to inflammation of the gums and tooth decay.

A classic among the fixed braces are the so-called brackets. These are small plates made of metal, ceramic or plastic that are glued to the teeth. An elastic bow connects the plates to each other. Attached to the brackets are springs or rubbers that exert a regular pull on the teeth to push them into the desired straight position. An orthodontist readjusts the arches at regular intervals to achieve optimal results.

Dental plaque has an easy time of it

Food debris quickly gets stuck both on the brackets themselves and on the other construction parts, creating dental plaque. Plaque contains millions of bacteria that convert sugar and starch into acid, for example, which in turn attacks the tooth enamel. Particularly careful dental hygiene is very important for the prevention of periodontal disease and caries as long as fixed braces are worn. However, oral hygiene is made more difficult by the brackets, wires and elastics.

Anyone wearing fixed braces should avoid sticky and very hard foods as a matter of principle, if possible. Medium-hard short-head toothbrushes with rounded bristles or electric toothbrushes are well suited for brushing teeth with fixed braces. Using an electric toothbrush is advantageous because the automatic brushing movements make it easier to brush hard-to-reach areas and the gumline. It makes sense to use a mini brush head with high-quality ground bristles.

Tips for brushing

Regardless of whether you use a manual toothbrush or an electric toothbrush:

It is recommended to first rinse the mouth vigorously with water to remove coarse food debris. After the area between the brackets and gums has been cleaned, it is the turn of the brackets. It is important here to clean all around as well as from above and below at a 45 degree angle. The chewing and inner surfaces of the teeth are then cleaned.

In addition to the electric toothbrush or manual toothbrush, interdental space toothbrushes or floss can be used to clean the spaces between the teeth even more thoroughly between the brackets, arches and elastics.

Toothpaste should have a fluoride content of at least 1,500 ppm to harden tooth enamel. Additional protection against caries is provided by the weekly use of a fluoride-containing gel.