Over the course of time, dental braces may even contribute to the demineralisation of tooth enamel and to the onset of tooth decay. If this actually happens, after the end of treatment unsightly stains will be visible, which are either light coloured, which is a sign of deterioration of the surface of teeth by an acidic environment, or dark, which means that tooth decay has already began to form. Built-up plaque can also cause inflammation of the gums.
For patients with dental braces it is thus of fundamental importance to adhere strictly to techniques of oral hygiene at home, which in the case of both fixed and detachable dental braces must be continuous and conscientious.
It is also of fundamental importance for patients to clean their teeth after every meal.
Brushing is clearly the most important means of fighting tooth decay. However, excessively hard toothbrushes are not suitable, since they could cause receding of the gums.
Classic brushing is suitable for the occlusal, palatal and lingual surfaces of the tooth. It is also necessary to devote attention to the gum tissues which are overlooked as a result of the attention paid to the dental braces. It is necessary to brush the cervical third of the tooth (the area touching the gum) in the direction from the root towards the crown, with the toothbrush at an angle of 45° to the gums and from bottom to top.
Special toothbrushes are on sale for cleaning of fixed dental braces, also known as orthodontic toothbrushes. In these toothbrushes the central tufts of fibres are shorter than the peripheral fibres, enabling adjustment to the protrusions in the area of the contact points. It is necessary to perform brushing of these areas in a horizontal direction.
Do not also forget the single tufted toothbrushes, which are suitable for cleaning distal (rear) surfaces of the last molars and the distal and mesial (frontal) surfaces of the neighbouring teeth.
In the case that dental braces have been fitted, the use of dental floss is impaired. In order to ensure insertion into the inter-dental cavities beneath the wire it is necessary for the floss to have a firm end, or it is possible to insert this using a special plastic inserter.
In every case however, it is necessary to perform this hygiene after every meal, especially before going to bed.
Also important are inter-dental toothbrushes, which are used instead of dental floss in large inter-dental cavities, providing that the metallic joints do not prevent their use. It is thus also possible to clean the lateral surfaces of the contact points.
It is recommended to use fine toothpastes with a fluoride content for sensitive tooth and gums in order to prevent further damage to the surface of the tooth.
It is also useful to carry a toothbrush with yourself at all times, to school or to work, in order to take care of oral hygiene even when you’re not at home.
It is also very important to use a plaque detector regularly. This aid enables immediate visual inspection of the results of oral hygiene, so it is possible to clean areas with a toothbrush where plaque residues remain, until these residues are completely removed. It is therefore important for patients to use a detector every week so as to check whether they are performing oral hygiene correctly.
No less important is cleaning of the dorsum of the tongue using special aids.
Cleaning of the tongue is just as important as cleaning the teeth and the use of dental floss. It serves to remove residues of food around which colonies of bacteria form.
Using this method it is possible not only to eliminate bad breath, but also to avoid tooth decay and parodontopathy.

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