Why Choose Board-CertifiedThe big day has finally arrived! Both you and your orthodontist have worked hard to make a beautiful smile, with perfectly straight teeth. It’s time to have your braces removed! This is usually an extremely happy day with a reason to celebrate!
When some people have their braces removed, however, white spots that look like a “picture frame” from around the outside of the braces remain. These white stains can form along the border of the teeth near the gum line. 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. These permanent white stains are called decalcification, which is a loss of calcium from the enamel. 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! The bacteria in plaque produce acids that damage tooth enamel by leaching away calcium. This leads to the often permanent white spots, which is the beginning of a more extensive cavity if habits do not change.
What can be done to prevent these unsightly white spots? First, the removal of dental plaque, by brushing, flossing or waterpik is vital. An excellent brusher will rarely aquire stains. Second, avoid or limit the amount of processed sugars in your diet. Bacteria in plaque actually feed on sugars, and release acids as a waste product onto your teeth. Yuck! Soda and sports drinks are the biggest culprits, as the additional acidity compounds the effect on teeth. Finally, fluoride rinses can help remineralize teeth, but only to a point. 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.
So, protect that beautiful smile while you are in braces (and after!). Dr. Rejman will always take the time to educate you and your child about proper dental care and a healthy diet.
Dan Rejman is an orthodontist in private practice located in Castle Rock, Colorado. Meadows Orthodontics provides braces and Invisalign for children, teens and adults and offers before school, day time, evening and Saturday appointments. Dr. Rejman is a Board Certified orthodontist and has been voted a TOP ORTHODONTIST in 2012 and 2013. Please go to www.meadowsorthodontics.com to learn more.