Have you recently been fitted for braces or Invisalign? The team here at American River Orthodontics near Rosemont, CA wants to make sure that you know how to effectively keep your braces or Invisalign clean and your mouth healthy to ensure a successful orthodontic treatment outcome.

While you are wearing your braces or Invisalign, food can collect in places that may be hard to reach or may not even know it’s there.. You have to be diligent in your daily oral care to avoid bad breath, swollen gums, discolored teeth, and cavities. To attain the best possible treatment outcome (and to impress Dr. Michael Payne during your next visit), follow these ten tips for a healthy mouth from American River Orthodontics:

• One tooth at a time. When you brush your teeth, Dr. Michael Payne stresses that you take your time with each individual tooth. Focus on each one for at least 10 seconds, and pay close attention to the spots where your teeth touch your braces. This way, you are ensuring that every single tooth is being well taken care of.

• It’s all about the angles. The team at American River Orthodontics suggests that you brush your top teeth and braces with your brush angled downward, and brush your bottom teeth and braces with your brush angled up. This is the best way to clean them thoroughly.

• The tooth, the whole tooth, and nothing but the tooth. While the front surface of your teeth may seem like the most important place to clean, Dr. Michael Payne wants you to know that it’s equally important to clean the inner and chewing surface of your teeth, your tongue, and along your gum line (a key spot for plaque buildup). These surfaces need cleaning just as much as the front of your teeth, and though you cannot see it, leaving them unattended will cause damage to your oral health.

• Brush after every meal. Food can easily get caught in your braces and in between your teeth, which can lead to tooth decay and other oral health problems. Also, the longer food stays in contact with your teeth, the greater the opportunity for plaque to form. Dr. Michael Payne says if you can’t brush after every meal, it is best to thoroughly rinse your mouth with water.

• Make a first aid teeth-cleaning kit. Get into the habit of taking a toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss with you wherever you go. Design a special container just for your teeth-cleaning tools and keep it in your bag at all times to keep your braces and smile happy & healthy.

Visit  Dr. Michael Payne and the team at American River Orthodontics regularly while receiving orthodontic treatment near Rosemont, CA to get a deep, thorough dental cleaning that only an oral health care professional can provide. If you would like to schedule an appointment with American River Orthodontics, or if you have questions or concerns about orthodontics or your overall oral health, please call us at 916.486.4233.