Why good dental hygiene is important in childhood orthodontics

Posted 22nd May 2019

Maintaining good dental hygiene is essential if you want to keep your teeth strong and healthy, but when your child has braces and is going through orthodontic treatment, keeping the mouth free from harmful bacteria becomes all the more important. I’m sure those of you reading who have kids undergoing orthodontic treatment know how excited they are for the day when their braces finally come off, so to make sure it’s everything they’ve been hoping for, you need to make sure they are keeping their mouth as clean as possible.

In normal day-to-day life, not maintaining a good oral health routine can lead to a host of problems including gum disease, tooth decay, discolouration and cavities. With braces, these issues can manifest significantly quicker, as they create spaces that are difficult to clean and provide extra places for food to get trapped and release harmful bacteria into the mouth. To prevent this from happening, make sure your child follows these helpful steps:

Brushing and rinsing: Ensure your child follows a normal brushing routine of 2 minutes, twice a day. Get them to brush on and around every tooth, bracket and wire, to make sure nothing is left out. Additionally, regularly rinsing the mouth with water or a special fluoride rinse will dislodge bits of food that tend to get stuck in-between the braces.
Flossing: Once per day, get your child to floss. Braces make flossing a pain, but it’s the best way to accompany a regular brushing schedule-it helps to loosen food particles and plaque in places the toothbrush can’t reach and stops them from hardening into tartar.
Regular cleanings and check-ups: We recommend seeing our hygienist every six months- as they can point out areas that might need a bit more attention, whilst making sure your child is following the correct routines. It’s essential that your child gets seen regularly, as they can catch bad habits and potential problems before they have harmful effects.
Maintain good hygiene away from home: It’s easy to keep an eye on your kid’s routines when they’re at home, but when they are at school or away from home, things tend to get a bit lax. To combat this, put a kit together with a toothbrush, floss, mirror and water cup and make sure your child knows the importance of using it, so you can rest assured that they will use it.

Here at Strand on the Green Dental Practice, we want your child to have the best head-start possible with their teeth and dental hygiene, so if you think your child is due for a check-up, don’t hesitate to book an appointment with our expert Dental Hygienists by calling 020 8995 0298.