Oral Health Link to Whole Body Health: A Blog

How to Help Your Child Maintain Oral Hygiene With Braces

23 March 2018

Duane Kelly

Teaching children how to brush, floss and keep their teeth healthy is not a difficult job for parents. However, if your child has braces, the task can be daunting. Kids with braces require extra attention to ensure that their oral health is on point at all times. Failure to do so can lead to dental issues such as tooth decay, development of plaque and staining even when wearing braces. For this reason, you need to observe the following tips to ensure that your child's teeth remain strong and healthy throughout the orthodontic treatment period.

Encourage dental hygiene in school

When your young one is going to school five days a week, it may be hard to keep track of their oral health. There is little you can do since you won't be there during the day. However, you can encourage and train them to take care of their teeth after eating snacks and food in school. Pack a dental hygiene kit that contains a toothbrush, fluoride rinse and dental floss. The child should use this after every meal to get rid of food bits in between the braces. If your kid engages in sports, you can also include a mouth guard to protect the braces and their teeth during the activities.

Teach proper brushing techniques

The brushing techniques that you usually employ may not be enough to clean teeth with braces. The brackets used with braces can make it hard for the brush bristles to remove all the food particles in between the teeth. For this reason, your child needs new brushing methods to maintain clean and healthy teeth. They should have a soft bristle, electric or interdental toothbrush. Teach them to take extra time when cleaning the areas around the wires, brackets and gums to get rid of all food particles. If you are not sure of how to do this, you can consult with your dentist for more assistance and a practical lesson on brushing with braces.

Ensure they stay hydrated

Drinking water is not every kid's cup of tea. However, proper hydration is essential when wearing braces. Water helps to flush out food particles from between the teeth. It also keeps gums healthy and prevents oral odours. Encourage your child to take water and homemade fruit juices during the day. You can also buy them sugar-free gum—chewing increases saliva in the mouth and helps in preventing a dry mouth.

Proper hygiene is the key to ensuring that your child has healthy teeth after getting braces. Visit your dentist for more tips on how to ensure that your kid maintains dental health while wearing braces.

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