Taking Care of Your Smile
Although many people see it as a 20th century invention, the braces that dentists use to align teeth have actually been around for centuries! Excavations of mummies of ancient Romans reveal a number of them have crude metal wires on their teeth possibly as a way of straightening their teeth.
The very first recorded case of braces was in the 1900's. It was made of pure gold wrapped around the each tooth. Because of the material used, braces then where thought to be something that only the rich people can have. Today, however, changes in technology have made it possible for anyone who has misaligned teeth to avail of braces. So, if you have one, how do you ensure that it lasts a long time?
One of the first things that you need to keep in mind is that you need to strictly follow your scheduled appointments with your orthodontists. Usually done every 2 to 6 weeks, these appointments make it possible for your doctor to check the progress of your teeth. It also allows him or her to check whether the wires holding your teeth would need tightening.
Most orthodontic clinics also recommend their patients to floss or use a waterpick after every meal. This clears out any food articles that might have gotten stuck in between your teeth or braces. For hard-to-reach areas, your orthodontist might also recommend that you use an electric toothbrush. For best results, you can use first a regular toothbrush to remove visible food particles and then follow through with an electric toothbrush to dislodge those that you cannot easily see.
Braces have a tendency to become a breeding ground for plaque. Since this is the case, you would also need to use fluoride mouth rinse to ensure that your teeth''s enamel remains strong while preventing tooth decay from building up.
Lastly, make sure that you have your teeth cleaned by a professional. Since teeth with braces are much more complicated to clean, make sure that your dentist is qualified and specializes in cleaning teeth that have braces.