Are you currently wearing braces? Choosing the right toothpaste for people with braces is more important than you think! It’s crucial for proper oral care during orthodontic treatment to prevent cavities, bad breath, and stubborn stains. This is because the 2-3 years you wear these appliances is a critical time that will determine whether your new smile will be perfectly beautiful or come with unexpected oral health problems. Berry Dent is here to answer all your questions about choosing toothpaste for people with braces in detail.
Why Do People with Braces Need to Pay Special Attention to Toothpaste?
For the average person, brushing teeth might be simple. But for those with braces, brackets, and wires all over their mouths, these appliances become excellent traps for food debris and plaque, making cleaning many times more difficult than usual. This is why oral health problems for people with braces often follow, such as:
- Higher Risk of Cavities: Food trapped in the brackets becomes food for bacteria, which produce acid that destroys the tooth surface.
- Gingivitis and Bad Breath: Plaque that is not completely removed will cause swollen, red, and easily inflamed gums, and is a cause of unpleasant bad breath.
- Stains and Spots on Teeth: If not cared for properly, when the braces are removed, you might find yellow stains or white spots on the tooth surface where the brackets were.
Therefore, the toothpaste you use is not just “anything,” but must be a key assistant that can tackle these problems effectively.
Ingredients in Toothpaste That People with Braces Should Have and Should Avoid
Reading ingredient labels might seem tedious for some, but for long-term dental health, it’s a very worthwhile method.
Ingredients to Have:
- Fluoride: This is the real hero for people with braces! Fluoride helps restore minerals to the tooth surface, making teeth strong and resistant to acid, and most importantly, it effectively prevents cavities. A good toothpaste for people with braces should contain 1,000 – 1,500 ppm of fluoride for maximum protection.
- Antibacterial Agents: Ingredients that help inhibit the growth of bacteria will significantly reduce plaque formation, gum inflammation, and bad breath. These can be in the form of safe chemicals or natural extracts.
Ingredients to Avoid:
- Harsh Abrasives: Toothpaste with overly coarse abrasives can damage the tooth surface and the materials used to attach the brackets, causing scratches and making it easier for stains to accumulate.
- Whitening Agents: This is a major trap! Many people want white teeth, but using whitening toothpaste while wearing braces will only whiten the areas the toothpaste can reach. The area under the brackets will not be whitened. The result is that when the braces are removed, your teeth will have a checkered pattern of uneven color. This is the real “life-changing” experience in a bad way!
Additional Tips for Caring for Teeth with Braces
Here are some additional tips for caring for your teeth with braces to maintain good oral health:
- Choose a Toothbrush for People with Braces: Use a soft-bristled toothbrush with a V-shaped groove to clean around the brackets better.
- Use Additional Tools: An interdental brush and orthodontic floss (Super Floss) or a water flosser are essential items.
- Brush After Meals: Try to brush your teeth after every meal to remove food particles as quickly as possible.
- See Your Dentist Regularly: Regular appointments for adjustments and dental health check-ups will help you deal with any potential problems in a timely manner.
Once you understand how to choose toothpaste and the techniques for oral care, finding a product that meets all your needs is no longer difficult. For anyone looking for a toothpaste for people with braces that has all the right features, we recommend Berry Dent, a hybrid herbal toothpaste that perfectly blends the power of nature and science. With the value of 5 berry extracts that are natural antioxidants to care for gum health, along with 1500 ppm fluoride—the maximum amount recommended by dentists for effective cavity prevention—Berry Dent is the perfect choice for people with braces. It helps you care for your teeth confidently, without worrying about oral health problems, for a beautiful smile and healthy teeth after the braces come off.