Straight teeth are an ideal of beauty that is aspired to in our modern times. Nearly 70% of all children make acquaintance with the orthodontist during their growing up and more and more adults develop the awareness of straight teeth. The orthodontist uses appliances, commonly known as braces, to bring the teeth into the best aesthetic and functional shape.
These appliances quickly develop the tendency to develop a bacterial biofilm and tartar build-up. The bacterial plaque must be removed to protect the oral cavity from inflammation. But how can these braces be cleaned effectively? Are there any cleaning options that are harmful to the plastic or metal elements? What should be taken into account to clean the braces thoroughly and to keep them in a good functional condition?
What types of braces cleaners are there?
In general, there is no uniform doctrine for cleaning braces, but there are many possibilities. The most gentle way is to wash the orthodontic appliance daily with warm water and soap. A soft toothbrush helps to reach all parts of the braces.
There are special tabs for removable dentures (e.g. for total dentures), with which the braces can also be cleaned. But there are also special tabs for the braces. These have a different composition than the preparations for cleaning dentures.
They consist of salts such as calcium carbonate, phosphate or silicates. These coarse-grained salts ensure that the plastic is removed when brushing with a toothbrush – they are abrasive. This causes the bacterial film, which sticks to the braces after wearing them, to loosen and also harder deposits such as tartar are removed.
During application, the braces are placed in a bath with the tablet dissolved in water for three to five minutes and then rinsed with warm water. In case of massive plaque, the toothbrush is also used. Furthermore, there are braces cleaners in gel form, which work on a citric acid basis and also contain salts like the cleaning tablets.
This gel is applied to the orthodontic appliance and worked in with a special brush to clean it. The low dosage of citric acid is intended to dissolve the plaque and yet be gentle to the acrylic base. Another option is to clean the braces with a conventional toothbrush and toothpaste like your own teeth.
However, the surface of the plastic plate can change and tend to break. One of the most effective cleaning methods for daily cleaning is the ultrasonic cleaning bath. The results are satisfactory and the braces are protected.
Furthermore, more and more home remedies for cleaning orthodontic appliances are becoming popular. The special cleaning sticks for braces consist of different coarse-grained salts. By simply placing the braces in a water bath with the tablet dissolved, not all plaque is usually removed and the cleaning result is not satisfactory.
If a brush is used in addition, the coarse grains of salt are very abrasive and attack the plastic. The plastic becomes rough, creating a surface to which bacteria and plaque can adhere even better. Furthermore, the relatively soft plastic becomes thinner due to the abrasion and can break more easily.
Tabs are one of the most expensive cleaning options and are not recommended for long-term cleaning of the braces due to their damaging effect on the plastic. The cleaning tabs consist primarily of different salts. If the solution is swallowed, the salt extracts water from the body and the stool dilutes.
As a result, the affected person has severe diarrhea. If this scenario happens accidentally, the affected person should drink a lot of water to compensate for it. However, accidental swallowing is not worrying. With stronger complaints such as strong stomach cramps, a doctor should be consulted.
