Oral Hygiene
Emergency Info
Introduction:
Now that you have your braces in place, it is just as important to maintain a good oral hygiene regimen throughout the length of your treatment as it was before. Braces, wires, bands and retainers can all trap food part particles and make it difficult to brush or floss away plaque. Careful brushing and flossing, preferably after every meal and snack, is the best way to prevent plaque build-up, tooth decay and gum disease. Click on the buttons below to learn more about how to continue a proper oral hygiene routine while in braces.
Brushing:
Step 1: Start with the outside of the teeth, with the brush at a straight angle. Use circular, vibrating motions.
Step 2: Clean the area between the gums and braces by angling the brush down (up for the lower jaw). Keep moving in a small circular motion.
Step 3: Clean the rest of the outside of the teeth by angling the brush up (down for the lower jaw).
Step 4: Carefully brush the chewing surface of both the upper and lower jaw.
Step 5: Finish by brushing the inside of the teeth.
Flossing:
Step 1: Floss at least once a day. The floss needs to be pulled under the archwire. A floss threader facilitates this. Start by pulling floss through the threader.
Step 2: Push the end of the floss threader under the archwire and pull the floss through.
Step 3: Pull the floss up between the teeth and gently move it up and down the side of booth teeth. Remember to move it up all the way under the gums.
Step 4: Pull the floss out and use a different section of it for the next tooth.
Rinsing:
When you are finished brushing and flossing, rinse your mouth carefully with water or an antiseptic dental rinse. An antiseptic dental rinse can help minor gum inflammations and irritations from orthodontic appliances. Also used to cleanse canker sores, minor wounds and other mouth and gum irritations, this mouth rinse removes debris, enabling natural healing to occur.
Interdental Toothbrush:
An interdental toothbrush (proxabrush) is another aid you might find useful in keeping your teeth, braces and gums clean and healthy. It can be used to clean under orthodontic wires and around braces. Use this device slowly and carefully, so you do not damage braces.
Retainer Care:
During the retention phase, it is important to brush your retainer every time you brush your teeth as they can accumulate food particles and plaque. Once a day, you should soak your appliance in a glass of room-temperature tap water with a denture-cleaning tablet, such as Polident or Efferdent. This will help prevent plaque build-up and oral infections and will keep your appliance tasting better. Do not use hot water as it can distort the appliance.
Foods to Avoid
For most situations, common sense will tell you what to avoid. Hard foods, sticky foods and foods high in sugar must be avoided. Hard foods can break or damage wires and brackets. Sticky foods can get caught between brackets and wires. Minimize sugary foods; they cause tooth decay and related problems. Nail biting, pencil and pen chewing and chewing on foreign objects should be avoided.
Examples of Sticky Foods to Avoid:
Gum (sugar-free or regular)
Licorice
Sugar Daddies
Toffee
Tootsie Rolls
Caramels
Starburst
Examples of Hard Foods to Avoid:
Ice
Nuts
Hard taco shells
French bread crust/rolls
Corn on the cob
Apples and carrots (unless cut into small pieces)
Bagels
Chips
Jolly
Ranchers
Pizza crust
Uncooked carrots (unless cut)
Minimize Sugary Foods like:
Cake
Ice
Cream
Cookies
Pie
Candy
Only Once a Day:
Soda
Sweetened tea
Gatorade
Kool-Aid
Drinks with sugar
It's important to regularly check your braces for bent or loose wires and brackets. In the event of a loose/broken wire or bracket, call our office immediately to arrange an appointment for repair.
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