Braces provide lots of different, little spaces for food to get trapped, so keeping up with proper brushing and flossing is absolutely essential during your orthodontic treatment. That being said, hard brushing is not the answer, and can harm your gums, teeth, and braces. Choose a toothbrush that’s softer, and remember—proper brushing is better than harder brushing. Gently brushing your teeth as well as doing your best to brush around your braces and all their parts is vital. Remember that while you should be gentle with your toothbrush, your braces will not be gentle on your toothbrush; therefore, it will need to be replaced more often during your orthodontic care.

Flossing with Braces

Flossing at least once a day both during your time with braces and post-braces is ideal. Again, gentle is the name of the game here. Using a floss threader can greatly help you get the floss under the wire that goes through your braces and in between your teeth. The best part is that they can be reused! Flossing helps to remove food that gets trapped in the tight spaces that braces create, therefore keeping your mouth clean and healthy while you have your braces.

Eating Right

Although your diet will likely be able to remain the same while receiving orthodontic care, there are certain foods that are best avoided while you’re getting your teeth straightened out! These include candies like gummy bears and caramels that can get stuck and damage your braces. Very hard foods such as nuts can damage your braces as well. Softer foods will be ideal, especially after an adjustment. Many chewy and processed foods like bagels, lollipops, and hard candies don’t make for good eating while you have braces. If you do eat them, be gentle and chew with care.

Caution with Biting

Chewing or biting on objects is a no-no without braces—so it’s definitely in the forbidden category while you have braces! Objects like pencils and ice can be very damaging to your teeth. Even biting your nails isn’t a healthy practice. You’ll also want to exercise caution with foods like apples that require you to bite into them. Until you become used to your braces, cut up your fruit and be cautious about biting into food such as chicken wings!

Having braces is an important step in having healthy teeth with a proper bite. Caring for your braces isn’t difficult, but you should be gentle with your mouth while eating, brushing, and flossing. And remember that chewing on objects is never good for your teeth. With proper care, your braces can do their job and give you a beautiful smile!

The post Caring for Your Braces appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

Take, for example, diabetes. This serious health condition is strongly related to oral health. When infections occur in the mouth, the body’s primary response is inflammation. Unfortunately, many of the bacteria involved in periodontal disease feed on the byproducts of such inflammation. The inflammation also causes a response in the body that results in the body having an impaired ability to use insulin. Even if the body is producing enough insulin, the inflammation may result in higher blood sugar. On the other hand, once the inflammation in the mouth is reduced, the body can once again utilize insulin properly.

Another major risk factor that is associated with poor oral health is heart disease. More than 9 out of 10 patients who have heart disease also suffer from some sort of periodontitis. Again, increased inflammation in the body can have a negative effect on the heart. Blood vessels constrict which can result in hypertension. This, in turn, creates an environment in which a heart attack is more likely.

Should pregnant women be concerned about caring properly for their teeth? Absolutely! Gum disease has actually been linked to premature births. A baby that is born prematurely has increased chances for learning disorders, heart problems, and certain lung conditions. While oral infections are generally more common in men, pregnant women need to be on guard against periodontitis during this time period in which their hormones have changed dramatically.

Many other health conditions have been linked to poor oral health. Alzheimer’s is found more commonly in individuals who suffer tooth loss prior to age 35. Some studies have found a connection between osteoporosis and oral health (although more research is need to see if the connection is simply the result of teeth and bones both being affected by bone loss). Other immune disorders have also been linked to oral health.

Since dental health is so vital to your overall health, how can you protect yourself? Be sure to brush at least twice per day. Use floss on a daily basis, and be sure to clean the gum line. Don’t let your toothbrush get too old. You should go through 3 to 4 of them per year. Finally, be sure to see your dentist every six months for a checkup and a cleaning. Your good oral health may in fact help you to ward off many other serious health conditions.

The post Will Good Oral Health Potentially Ward Off Other Diseases? appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.