Preventing Cavities When You Have Braces

How braces from your dentists in Fairfax, VA can give you the beautiful smile you deserve.

Your smile is starting to look great, thanks to orthodontic treatment, but you haven’t always been regular about flossing. Can you still get cavities, even with braces? The short answer is YES!

Fortunately, you can do a lot to prevent cavities, even if you wear braces. Dr. Nadia N. Sina and Dr. Hilda Oweisy at My Braces Doctor offer a wide range of orthodontic services including ways to prevent tooth decay.

They have convenient office locations in Fairfax, Fredericksburg, Manassas, and Springfield, VA to help give you the beautiful smile you deserve.

Tooth decay is caused by bacterial acid, formed when oral bacteria combine with the sugars you eat. This acid is strong enough to eat through hard tooth enamel and penetrate the softer layers underneath the enamel, causing a cavity.

One of the best ways to prevent cavities is to reduce bacteria levels as often and as thoroughly as you can. Typically, you need to:

• Brush after eating and before you go to bed; use a toothpaste containing fluoride for extra cavity protection. You should brush along the gum line, and then around the brackets and wires. A sonic or electric toothbrush can be very helpful when you have braces, because it can help flush away bacteria, plaque, and debris.
  
  
• Floss at least once each day; the brackets and wires can be difficult to floss around, so you will need a floss threading tool, which resembles a loop. You simply thread the floss through the loop and thread the loop underneath the wire, allowing you to floss in between your teeth.
  
  

You can also use a fluoride mouth rinse after brushing and flossing. Just be sure to let the fluoride residue remain on your teeth for at least an hour afterward. Fluoride works best when it stays on the tooth surface for a long period of time.

These are just a few of the ways you can prevent cavities from forming when you have braces. To find out more about oral hygiene techniques when you have braces, call Dr. Nadia Sina and Dr. Hilda Oweisy of My Braces Doctor at (703) 877-0990. Call today.