MAINTAINING YOUR SMILE AND HEALTH
The key to keeping a bright, healthy smile throughout treatment is to practice proper oral hygiene. Taking care of your teeth will be more difficult once you get braces. It's very important to brush your teeth after every meal and snacks, to rinse with mouthwash, and to floss at least once a day. This is to avoid staining of the teeth and oral health problems caused by the build up of plaque.
BRUSHING YOUR TEETH WITH BRACES
- Start brushing where the tooth crown meets the gum surface. Hold your toothbrush so the bristles are at a 45-degree angle with the gumline, and brush in a circular motion, working your way around your mouth from one side to the other. Spend about 10 seconds brushing each tooth.
- Brush the brackets on your teeth one by one. Spend about 10 seconds brushing each bracket in a circular motion until you have cleaned every one of your teeth.
- Clean under your archwires. Tilt your toothbrush so the bristles can get into the area between your braces.
- Brush the chewing surface of all your teeth.
- Brush the inside surfaces of all the teeth.
- Rinse your mouth and then floss. Dr Saicich and the team can show you the best way to floss. You may also want to use a flossing product designed for braces, like a floss threader.
- Rinse and check your teeth. Rinse thoroughly with water or mouth rinse, and examine your teeth and braces in the mirror.
FOODS TO AVOID
Certain foods can damage braces components like the rubber bands, wires, or even the bracket itself. Generally, avoid all foods that are sticky, hard, or chewy. Some of these foods include:
- Popcorn
- Nuts
- Sticky and hard candy or chocolate
- Chewing gum
- Ice
- Corn chips
- Hard cookies or crackers
Try to avoid biting into hard foods with your front teeth. When possible, cut up these hard foods into smaller pieces:
- Raw vegetables
- Fruit
- Hard rolls
- Meat
- Burgers
- Corn on the cob
BRUSHING YOUR TEETH WITH BRACES
Rinse and brush your retainer regularly. This helps remove plaque that can build up on the surface. You can use a regular toothbrush and toothpaste which is sufficient to clean your retainer.
You can also soak your retainer in a glass of water with baking soda, mild vinegar or denture tablets to the water. Never use bleach or alcohol-based mouthwash as these products can damage the plastic and potentially your mouth. Do not use boiling water on your retainer as it can warp the metal and melt the plastic.
If you don’t have to wear a retainer very often (for example, you only wear it every other night), store it in a container with sufficient airflow so it doesn’t breed mold and bacteria.
