Having great dental hygiene isn’t just about making your teeth look nice. Taking care of your teeth also prevents dental problems like de-calcification, gum disease and cavity formation. With braces, good cleaning habits are all the more important. Brackets, wires and other appliances can easily trap food in spaces between teeth. Inflamed, diseased gums can increase treatment time and result in more serious issues.

Here is a picture of a 12 year old boy. His teeth are nearly brand new and yet they are quickly being ruined because of his poor oral hygiene:

Here is a picture of what happens to those teeth when they have been neglected; they get decalcified and carious:

While it can be more challenging to brush with braces than without, taking care of your teeth is a prerequisite for orthodontic treatment. Failure to make the proper effort duting treatment can lead to seriously and permanently damaged teeth. At Bruner Orthodontics, we do our best to make the process simple and easy for you! We give all of our new patients an electric toothbrush at the beginning of treatment. Check out our BRUSHING TECHNIQUES VIDEO for a step by step guide to brushing. As always, if you or anyone you know is thinking about orthodontic care, please give us a call at Bruner Orthodontics in Redmond, WA or Duvall Orthodontics in Duvall, WA.