How To Remove Dental Wax
Dental wax is a useful tool to make braces more comfortable, but it can be sticky. If you have difficulty getting all of your dental wax off, this guide is for you.
Why It All Needs To Come Off
Dental wax doesn't pose any real threat to your oral health on its own, and if you accidentally swallow a tiny bit of it, it will pass through your intestines safely. However, dental wax can act like artificial plaque if it's left in place for too long. Food particles and bacteria can potentially collect on the sticky surface, putting your teeth and gums at risk. For this reason, you need to make sure that you're getting all of it off.
How to Peel
How you first attempt to take it off is important. If you yank the wax too suddenly, you're likely to break some off and end up having difficulty removing the smaller piece.
Instead, start from the edge of the dental wax. Grasp both corners and slowly pull toward the next tooth, rather than trying to pull it directly out of your mouth. This will allow it to slowly peel off and you're more likely to get most of it all in one go. If it splits off in the middle, use a little less force and go to the other corners and repeat this process. If done correctly, you should get off the majority of the wax strip.
Getting Rid of the Rest
Even with the best peeling technique, you may still end up with a small amount of the wax stuck to your teeth or braces. In that case, here's what you need to do.
First of all, remove what you can by rinsing your mouth. This can help to loosen small bits. Just make sure to spit after rinsing so that you don't swallow the wax unnecessarily.
Next, use an interdental brush to get into the tight corners under your braces wires, around the brackets, and between your teeth. It's a good idea to wet the brush but skip toothpaste. You want the friction so that it will stick to the wax and loosen it.
Finally, if any is left, gently massage your teeth and braces with circular motions and your toothbrush. Any remainder and residue should be gone at this point.
Using dental wax can make having braces easier, and with these tips, you'll never be troubled with leftover wax again. For more information, get in touch with an orthodontic office such as Reed & Sahlaney Orthodontics, LLP.
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