Braces can be something of a sore point (sometimes literally) for some people. Teens and adults alike can be quite self-conscious about how they look, and adding braces may not jive well with how they’d like to appear. This may prompt them to choose ceramic braces, which have a much more subtle appearance than traditional metal braces. If you want them to stay that way, however, you need to take good care of them.
Practice Good Oral Hygiene
The first rule of taking care of ceramic braces is to practice good oral hygiene. That means carefully and thoroughly brushing your teeth and braces after every meal. Not only will this reduce your risk of tooth decay, but it will also help remove food particles that could stain your braces. Remember to floss and rinse as well. Again, after every meal it is ideal to prevent plaque buildup and stain development.
Watch Out for Stain-Causing Substances
Good oral hygiene can go a long way towards keeping your ceramic braces stain-free, but it may not be enough if you indulge in things that are prone to staining teeth and ceramic brackets alike. Red-colored foods like tomato products and strawberries, as well as things like sodas, mustard, turmeric, coffee, and wine, can easily stain your teeth and ceramic brackets. Smoking will also stain your teeth and nearly every part of your braces. Aside from being extremely unhealthy, it’s a sure way to ruin the transparent nature of ceramic braces. If you smoke, quit before you get the braces put on so you don’t have to worry about that.
Avoid Whitening Toothpaste
Using whitening toothpaste may seem like a good idea at first. After all, you want to keep your teeth nice and white and your braces clean and clear, right? The problem is that the toothpaste is only whitening the parts of your teeth that it touches. While it may not cause problems for the braces themselves, it could mean that your teeth aren’t evenly white when they are removed. No one wants that.
Getting ceramic braces instead of traditional metal braces can be a dream come true for anyone who feels self-conscious about flashing a mouthful of metal every time they smile. Their subtle appearance allows them to get the job done without being too obvious about it. Just make sure you take good care of your ceramic braces so you can maintain that subtle look as long as possible.
Not sure what type of braces is right for you? Click here to learn more about the different options for braces that you can find at Stellar Family Orthodontics today!