Orthodontic treatment is a great way to get a perfect smile, but it can also make you realize that you have bad breath. One of the most common problems associated with orthodontic treatment is bad breath.
Luckily, it is rather easy to avoid this embarrassing condition. There are at least five simple ways to avoid bad breath both before and during orthodontic treatment.
Brush More Often
While brushing twice a day is usually good enough to keep your mouth clean, this is not always the case when you are in the middle of orthodontic treatment. Food particles are much more likely to stick to the device used to straighten or correct your dental problem.
If this food is able to stay in the mouth for an extended period of time, then it is going to form bacteria that causes bad breath. Brushing more than twice a day is a great way to prevent this from happening.
Eat a Healthy Diet
An unhealthy diet is one of the biggest contributors to bad breath during orthodontic treatment. The sugars found in unhealthy food are extremely hard to remove from your teeth and any orthodontic device.
Just like food particles, these sugars will start to give you bad breath if they are not removed in a timely manner. Since it can be extremely difficult to get the sugars out of your mouth, it is better to just avoid sweet snacks and drinks altogether until your orthodontic treatment is finished.
Use Floss and Mouthwash
It may be a hassle to use floss and mouthwash on a regular basis, but it is a great way to prevent bad breath. Regularly flossing and brushing will help remove some of the food particles that you may have missed while brushing.
It is well worth it to take a few minutes out of your day to remove more of these unwanted food particles so you never have to experience bad breath.
Get Regular Dental Cleanings
You are bound to miss a few things even if you have excellent oral hygiene habits. Brushing, mouthwash and flossing can only do so much.
If you get regular dental cleanings during your orthodontic treatment, then you should never have to worry about getting bad breath. These regular cleanings will wipe out any food particles and sugars that you missed before they can start to form the bacteria that causes bad breath.
Drink Lots of Water
It is vitally important to stay hydrated while receiving orthodontic treatment to fix your smile. Proper hydration allows your mouth to produce the right amount of saliva, which is needed to remove bacteria and food particles from the mouth.
If you are not drinking enough water, then your mouth will not produce enough saliva. You are much more likely to develop bad breath with a dry mouth because the saliva isn’t able to properly perform its job.
With two locations in Destin and Panama City Beach, the office of Dr. M. Scott Runnels is here to help you every step of the way in your orthodontic journey, including ways to prevent bad breath before, during and after orthodontic treatment.
Contact us today to schedule an appointment to learn more about bad breath prevention.
