Getting Braces? 3 Ways To Prevent Receding Gums

Your routine for daily oral care is going to change drastically when you get braces. You must pay much more attention to how you take care of your teeth, because neglecting certain areas can cause problems with bacteria and contaminants that can harm your mouth. It's a common problem because food can easily become stuck between the different parts of your braces, especially the tiny gap that are hard to clean. This is why receding gums can be a problem for people that wear braces due to bacteria that has collected around the gum line. Here are some tips to prevent it from happening to you.

Use a Waterpik

Many people have difficulties cleaning between their teeth due to the brackets and metal wires that now go across the gaps where floss would go. One of the easiest methods for getting under the wire is with a Waterpik. These oral irrigators work by using a high pressure water stream to dislodge all the hidden contaminant between your teeth.

Try using a Waterpik right after eating. Move it between each of your teeth, as well as along the gum line, to remove any food left behind. You'll find that this tool will remove contaminants, which prevents them from turning into plaque or hardened tartar.

Use a Floss Threader

A Waterpik is not always convenient to take with you on the go. Thankfully, there are floss threaders that you can easily take with you. They help thread a small piece of dental floss between your teeth so that you can floss when away from home.

A floss threader will be small, so it is best to keep an extra one with you while you're wearing braces.

Use Antibacterial Mouthwash

You can prevent receding gums by keeping a clean mouth, which can be done by using an antibacterial mouthwash. These are available to purchase at your local drug store or grocery store, and will help kill the bacteria that could be hiding in the pockets of your gum line.

Move the mouthwash through the braces and direct the rinse towards your gums. One your gums have soaked in the mouthwash you can rinse out your mouth with water. You can take a travel size bottle of mouthwash with you to rinse while out of your home.

Be sure to ask a dentist, like one from Family 1st Dental, for more information about to prevent your gum line from receding with braces.

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