How your dentists and orthodontists in Lakemoor, Elk Grove, Hainesville, and Arlington Heights, IL, can help you have a fantastic smile
Orthodontic treatment is a wonderful way to give you the straight smile you deserve. When you have braces, it’s vital to take good care of your teeth with thorough and frequent brushing and flossing. If you don’t take care of your smile with braces, you might end up with white spot lesions on your teeth after the braces come off. White spot lesions can ruin the beautiful smile you’ve worked so hard for.
The dentists and orthodontists of Lakemoor Dental provide comprehensive dental and orthodontic care to give you a fantastic smile. They have four convenient office locations in Lakemoor, Elk Grove, Hainesville, and Arlington Heights, IL, to help you and your smile.
So, what are white spot lesions? They are areas of demineralized tooth enamel, areas where you are much more prone to developing tooth decay.
It happens like this. When you have braces, plaque can collect around the brackets on your teeth. If you don’t clean away the plaque, millions of bacteria produce toxins and acids which can eat away at your enamel, causing the white spots. Then, when the braces are removed, the white spot lesions remain.
The good news is, you can do a lot to prevent white spot lesions. Remember to:
- Brush your teeth after meals and before you go to bed. Sonic or electric toothbrushes are a great purchase for braces because of their pulsing and flushing action. They can clean into small areas created by the brackets.
- Floss your teeth every day. This is often challenging when you have braces, but you can use a handy floss threading tool or floss picks to help get underneath the wires.
- Use a fluoride rinse after thoroughly cleaning your teeth, because fluoride helps to remineralize your tooth enamel.
- Try to avoid acidic and sugary foods and beverages, especially sodas and fruit juices.
- Avoid sticky foods and candies because these can stick to brackets.
To learn more about preventing white spot lesions and other dental topics, talk with the experts by calling the dentists and orthodontists of Lakemoor Dental. You can reach them in Lakemoor, IL, at (815) 363-8888, Elk Grove, at (847) 744-6240, Hainesville, at (847) 986-6300, or at their office in Arlington Heights, IL, at (847) 749-1780. Call now and start on your fantastic smile today.