Oral Hygiene

Why is oral hygiene important?

There are two main reasons to maintain good oral hygiene during orthodontic treatment:

• To keep the teeth and gums clean so the teeth won't rot and the gums won't recede away (you'd want to keep your teeth clean for this reason whether or not you are having orthodontic treatment).
• Clean teeth and healthy gums will promote better tooth movement with a healthier result. It may sound absurd, but your body has only so much energy to spend on your mouth so when it is busy fighting decay and periodontal disease, tooth movement slows down considerably.

What are those little boxes in the middle of teeth after braces are removed?

If you really examine the "yellow" boxes, they are really the base color of your enamel and the enamel has been "sealed off" by the brace from the outside environment. If plaque is allowed to accumulate around each brace and not cleaned off, the acid in the plaque will begin to dissolve the enamel, turning it chalky white.

This results in permenant destruction of enamel and is not something that can be cleaned off. The weakened enamel can sometimes break in, leaving a cavity. It is really important to use a soft multi-bristle brush and brush in a circular motion, two or three teeth at a time, making sure to angle the brush so that the bristles extend under the wire and in between teeth (especially between the brace and gums). Do not use the "scrub brush" method while cleaning outside surfaces where braces are attached.

This discoloration is caused by acids breaking down the minerals on the surface of your teeth (called decalcification).

Along a similar topic, look at What to Do About Bad Breath.

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