Good oral hygiene is important
Whether you wear metal braces, ceramic braces or clear aligners, you need to know how to look after them.
If you take care of your braces properly, it’ll make them much more comfortable and effective, meaning you’re a step closer to the perfect smile each day!
Good oral hygiene is important at all stages of your life, but when you have braces it can stop your teeth from getting stained, protect the health of your gums and stop you from having bad breath.
As an orthodontist, one of the biggest concerns for our patients is in the prevention of cavities during treatment, as the areas around braces can develop unsightly changes from white spots (early stages) to brown or black areas (later stages).
There are many important ways to prevent cavities including correct brushing techniques, mouth rinses, staying away from sweet or sticky foods and using special cleaners between the teeth.
But did you know that some foods are protective against dental decay?
Dr Adam Wallace from Gippsland Orthodontics completed a study in 2005 on a special group of proteins called caseins which are found in milk, have a protective effect on teeth to help reduce plaque and prevent cavities.
His research was quite apt coming from a dairy farm in South Gippsland and funnily enough, it seems to be an integral part of the family with his cousin’s husband being one half of the team running the awesome local business, Gippsland Jersey!
Cow milk contains four types of casein proteins. Dr Adam’s study found that one of the lesser-known proteins - kappacasein - was beneficial in reducing plaque on teeth.
For many years, the Melbourne University has been instrumental in developing products from cow’s milk to help reduce plaque formation and tooth cavities.
Therefore, excellent tooth brushing and healthy diet habits, in conjunction with cow’s milk and products like Tooth Mousse (that contain casein proteins), really helps prevent dental cavities. Which means a brighter, whiter smile at the end of orthodontic treatment!