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Taking care of your teeth and appliances to keep them clean is vital to achieve the best results. You will notice that food as well as plaque build up will get caught in your brackets, wires, and bands. The best way to remove and prevent these problems is through regular and efficient brushing and flossing.
- Use your interproximal brush provided by our office to push any large particles of food that are trapped under your archwire and between brackets.
- Use a soft bristled toothbrush with a small amount of toothpaste to brush your teeth and gum line. With firm pressure place your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to the tooth and use small circular, vibrating motions. You should spend about 10 seconds on each tooth.
- Make sure to brush above, below, and on top of each bracket including all surfaces of your teeth. It is also important to remember to brush the roof of your mouth as well as your tongue. Remember to replace your toothbrush whenever the bristles become frayed.
Special Aids:
- A waterpik can be a useful addition to help remove large particles of food however, it will not remove the sticky plaque that adheres to the teeth.
- Prescription fluoride will help to prevent tooth decay.
- A rotary or ultrasonic toothbrush may make brushing easier.
Take time to brush your teeth, the goal is not to brush quickly in an aggressive manner but instead to brush efficiently and with gentle care.
- Using your floss threader, carefully pull the floss under your archwire.
- Once the floss is in position, floss between the contacts of your teeth taking care to floss around the gum area.
- Make sure to floss around each tooth and surrounding gum area on both the top and bottom jaw.
A careful orthodontic patient can probably eat almost any food without damaging his or her appliance. However, some objects and food are prone to loosen or break appliances. It is very important to pay attention to what you are putting in your mouth, if you think it will cause a problem, don’t eat it.
Hard Foods may do damage by bending wires, loosening cement under the bands or breaking the little brackets and tubes which are attached.
- Hard candy
- Nuts
- Ice
- Corn on the Cob
- Raw vegetables and fruit
- Doritos
- Crunchy Cheetos
- Hard, crisp pizza crust
- Bagels
- Popcorn
- Jerky
Sticky Foods damage appliance by bending wires and pulling cement loose.
- Bubble gum
- Gummy bears
- Dots
- Starburst
- Caramels
- Now & Laters
- Licorice
- Tootsie Rolls
- Sugar Daddies
Foods High in Sugar Content should be avoided whenever possible. If you do eat any of them, brush your teeth immediately. If it is not convenient to brush, then always rinse your mouth with water.
- Soda
- Frosted Cake and Cookies
- Oreos
- Kool-Aid
Make sure to check your braces every day for loose, broken, or bent brackets, wires, and bands. If a problem is present please call our office so we can arrange an appointment as soon as possible to repair it.
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