New Discovery in Dentistry to Prevent White Spot Lesions While Wearing Braces

LANGLEY, British Columbia - June 24, 2018 - PRLog -- A joint academic effort (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/01/180119090346.htm) by English, Spanish, and Brazilian scientists has developed a special sticky film that can be put on teeth of people with brackets to prevent plaque from settling on these orthodontics. This could be truly revolutionary, as it has always been difficult for people with oral appliances to clean as thoroughly as necessary around the various parts of their devices.

The mechanism by which the new technology works is basically that the adhesives are loaded with an antimicrobial substance that disallows bacteria from growing and causing decay. The adhesives have a mineral called halloysite, which can help to remineralize the teeth where demineralization may have already began to take place. This would reduce the appearance of white spots that often plague those with braces and brackets.

Why Plaque Accumulates Around Braces

Unfortunately, the presence of metal and brackets on teeth makes it harder for people to clean around the surfaces of their teeth. Even the front of the tooth becomes a challenge when there is something obstructing the movement of the toothbrush to remove any sticky plaque and food particles. Thus, plaque settles onto teeth, usually right around the brackets, so that when these are eventually removed, hardened white spots tarnish the patient's beautiful new smile.

When plaque is allowed to stay on the teeth, it eats away at the enamel and causes a demineralization of the tooth, which makes it appear to have white lesions. The only way to prevent these--with braces or without--is with diligent, regular brushing and flossing.

Current Advice

While this brilliant new technology is being tested and developed further, our dentist urges his patients to continue on with the habits that have been proven to discourage plaque formation, especially with dental orthodontics. These things include:

• Brush teeth immediately after each meal. Do so with a soft or medium bristled  brush in gentle, circular motions. This will effectively dislodge most food debris without wearing out the enamel.

• Remember to brush above and below each bracket. If this is hard, try interdental brushes. These are tiny, flexible and disposable brushes specifically for cleaning the tight areas around braces.
• Try the WaterPik brushing and flossing system or traditional flossing daily.
• Avoid very crunchy and sticky foods. These are very difficult to get out of tight dental crevices and very likely to cause an unbalanced, acidic environment in the mouth.
• Try to maintain a healthy diet.
• Never miss cleaning appointments--usually every 6 months--while wearing braces. This will get rid of any plaque you may have missed.

To schedule a teeth cleaning or to speak about proper dental management while wearing braces, contact Dr. Aly Kanani, (https://www.langleyorthodontics.com/site/contact-map-lang...) of Langley in British Columbia at 1(604) 533-6696.