The big day has finally arrived!\u00a0 Both you and your orthodontist have worked hard to make a beautiful smile, with perfectly straight teeth.\u00a0 It’s time to have your braces removed!\u00a0 This is usually an extremely happy day with a reason to celebrate!<\/p>\n
When some people have their braces removed, however, white spots that look like a “picture frame” from around the outside of the braces remain.\u00a0 These white stains can form along the border of the teeth near the gum line.\u00a0 After all of that beautiful work, the appearance of these stains, which are often permanent, is not something that we at Meadows Orthodontics are happy to see.\u00a0 These permanent white stains are called decalcification, which is a loss of calcium from the enamel.\u00a0 Decalcification most often occurs due to the poor removal of dental plaque from the teeth, whether the gum lines, around the braces, or if there are no braces at all!\u00a0 The bacteria in plaque produce acids that damage tooth enamel by leaching away calcium.\u00a0 This leads to the often permanent white spots, which is the beginning of a more extensive cavity if habits do not change.<\/p>\n
What can be done to prevent these unsightly white spots?\u00a0 First, the removal of dental plaque, by brushing, flossing or waterpik is vital.\u00a0 An excellent brusher will rarely aquire stains.\u00a0 Second, avoid or limit the amount of processed sugars in your diet.\u00a0 Bacteria in plaque actually feed on sugars, and release acids as a waste product onto your teeth.\u00a0 Yuck!\u00a0 Soda and\u00a0sports drinks are the biggest culprits, as the additional acidity compounds the effect on teeth.\u00a0 Finally, fluoride rinses can help remineralize teeth, but only to a point.\u00a0 The public water in and around Castle Rock if fluoridated, so this helps in the development of the enamel but this is not enough to counter the effects of poor plaque removal and high sugar levels.<\/p>\n
So, protect that beautiful smile while you are in braces (and after!).\u00a0 Dr. Rejman will always take the time to educate you and your child about proper dental care and a healthy diet.<\/p>\n
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