If you are undergoing a surgery to get your jaw realigned, then your dentist will have already installed braces on your teeth. These braces are kept in during the surgery and are frequently worn for a time after the surgery. Wearing braces after corrective jaw surgery is designed to make sure that your jaw and bite both remain in alignment. Following the surgery, it is important to keep your braces clean. This can be difficult since your mouth is difficult to open for a few days after surgery. In addition, food that gets stuck around your braces can help facilitate bacteria growth. Luckily, there are a few tips that you can use to keep your braces bacteria free after corrective jaw surgery.

Rinse with an Antibacterial Mouth Cleanser After Each Meal

Opening and closing your mouth wide can not only interfere with your healing process but it can be extremely painful to do. This makes it difficult to get a toothbrush into the areas that need to be cleaned. In order to make sure that your mouth remains clean in between meals, you need to rinse your mouth with antibacterial mouth cleanser. A good antibacterial oral cleanser can be created with the help of an antibacterial herb like peppermint. The oral cleanser can be made in your kitchen by steeping the herb for a few hours in a bowl of hot water. Drink a bit of the cleanser, but remember not to swallow, then guide the antibacterial cleanser throughout your mouth. Hold it for a few minutes before rinsing with water.

Dislodge Food with a Water Flosser

Once you begin to a switch to a solid food diet, you may experience more food getting stuck in between your braces. A normal toothbrush can have some trouble removing all of these food debris. Therefore, you should use a water flosser in order to remove whatever is left. The pressure from the water will help to loosen hidden particles that are easy to miss. Slowly move the water flosser against your gum line. Focus on one area for a few seconds before moving on to the next. Use the water flosser immediately after you are done eating each meal in order to ensure the best results.

Keeping your braces bacteria free after your corrective jaw surgery will help to ensure that your jaw and mouth remain healthy. For more information, contact local professionals like Reed & Sahlaney Orthodontics, LLP.