Oil Pulling While Wearing Braces: The Benefit and Disadvantages
If you have recently had braces fitted, you may find that it is harder to keep your teeth nice and clean. The brackets and wires which make up your braces can make it difficult to properly remove plaque and food debris from your teeth and gums. Oil pulling involves rinsing your mouth with coconut or olive oil. This helps to clean your teeth and gums. Below is a guide to all you need to know about the benefits and drawbacks of oil pulling when wearing braces.
The Benefits of Oil Pulling
The major benefit of using oil to clean your teeth is it is a liquid. This means that as you swill it around your mouth, the liquid can completely cover all exposed areas of your teeth and gums, reaching parts of your teeth that you cannot clean using a toothbrush. This is important because it will prevent bracket marks forming on your teeth. Bracket marks occur when the exposed area of your teeth becomes discoloured while the part covered by the bracket remains white.
As well as helping to remove plaque and soften tartar, oil pulling can also help to control the buildup of harmful bacteria in your mouth. The bacteria become trapped in the oil and exit the mouth when you spit out the oil. This will help to protect your teeth from decay while also offering protection from bad breath.
If you have recently had your braces tightened, you may find that oil pulling helps to soothe your mouth and reduce the amount of discomfort you feel.
The Disadvantages of Oil Pulling
If you begin to oil pull on a regular basis, you may notice that your teeth become noticeably whiter. While this might seem like a good thing, you should keep in mind that the oil will not be able to reach and whiten the areas which are underneath the brace brackets. When you come to have your braces removed, this could result in a situation in which the parts of your teeth which were covered by the brace brackets appears a darker shade than the rest of the tooth which has been exposed to the oil.
If you have any questions or concerns about the impact of oil pulling on your teeth, you should contact a dentist and book an appointment. Your dentist will be able to assess your teeth and offer advice about the best way to care for your dental health while wearing braces.