In order to correctly adhere braces to your teeth, metal or ceramic brackets are attached to each tooth. This helps to ensure that each tooth does not easily fall out of alignment. Composite resin is applied to the brackets in order to make sure that they stay attached to the tooth through years of regular wear and tear. While the composite resin is designed to be durable, it cannot withstand everything. Applying extreme force or mistreating your brackets can result in their loosening. Once your brackets become loose, it is important to get your braces fixed as soon as possible. Loose brackets can not only rub against your inner cheek but also cause your teeth to shift out of place if the brackets are left loosened for too long. Luckily, there are several tips that you can use to ensure that your brackets do not become loose.

Cut Down on Sticky Foods

Common sticky foods like peanut butter and caramel candies can have a negative impact on the health of your teeth. These foods pull against your teeth and can pull out any dental restorations that you may have installed. If you eat these foods while wearing braces, then they can pull against the brackets. The composite resin on your brackets is designed to withstand wear and tear from normal foods. Eating foods like chicken or oatmeal will not pull on the resin. Therefore, eating sticky foods regularly will eventually loosen your brackets. You can help to prevent this from happening by avoiding these foods until your braces are removed.

Use a Water Flosser Instead of Traditional Floss

Using a traditional floss to clean your teeth can help to remove debris that is stuck in between the gaps of your teeth. However, using this flossing method while wearing braces can end up loosening your bracket. The floss can get caught behind your brackets and pull against the device. In order to prevent this, you should move to using a water floss to ensure that your mouth is cleaned following meals. A water floss can be used successfully by pointing the head of the device toward the area that you want to clean. The pressure from the water will push out any food that you may be unable to detect with your eyes. Move the device up and down your teeth until all of the debris has been removed.

If you treat your braces well, then your brackets should remain in good condition. Use these tips to ensure that you do not run into any issues. Visit sites like http://greeleydentalhealth.com or similar sites for more information about dental care in your area.