How to Prevent Staining and Cavities When You Have Braces

10 May How to Prevent Staining and Cavities When You Have Braces

People with braces often fear they’ll discover staining on their teeth once their braces are finally removed. Don’t worry—you can prevent stains by making a few simple changes to your daily routine. At Prescott Dentistry we take pride in providing traditional and holistic dental care. If you wear braces, follow the five tips below to prevent stains before they start! 

5 Tips for Teeth Staining Prevention

1. Brush Your Teeth After Every Meal

Because brushing removes food particles from your teeth, brushing your teeth after meals is critical for people with braces. If you don’t brush your teeth after every meal, those particles will continue to sit on your teeth increasing your risk for staining and even cavities. Using an electric toothbrush is the most effective way to prevent stains. 

1. Floss and Use Mouthwash Regularly

Brushing your teeth is important, but to prevent stains you have to go beyond brushing. Flossing gets into all the nooks and crannies and hard-to-reach areas of your mouth, lowering the chances of stains developing. You can use a floss threader or a water flosser to floss around your braces. Rinsing with an alcohol-free mouthwash helps, too—mouthwash literally washes away the particles and germs that could lead to stains. 

1. Avoid Whitening Toothpaste

Be sure to avoid using whitening toothpastes or toothpastes with alcohol. Although whitening toothpaste might seem like a good way to avoid stains, it can actually make matters worse. Whitening toothpaste will whiten the areas of your teeth surrounding the brackets, but not the area covered by your brackets. Until you get your braces removed, it’s best to use regular toothpaste. 

1. Stay Away from Staining Foods

Certain foods will stain your teeth, and if possible, you should avoid them while you’re wearing braces. Soda, coffee, and anything with food dyes or food coloring can easily stain your teeth, which could lead to some unwelcome surprises once you get your braces off. 

1. Get Regular Dental Cleanings 

You should never postpone your regular dental or orthodontic visits while you have braces. Even if you brush after every meal and floss daily to prevent stains, a trip to the dentist will get your teeth extra clean. Getting your teeth professionally cleaned will go a long way towards preventing stains from braces. 

Do You Need a Dentist in Prescott, Arizona?

We’ll help you keep your pearly whites sparkling clean! If you have braces and need a professional cleaning to prevent stains, we are happy to help. Our team of trained professionals has years of expertise treating orthodontic patients using traditional and holistic dental practices. We’re the experts in teeth staining prevention! Call us today to schedule a cleaning and keep those stains at bay.

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