|
Forming good habits at a young age can help your child have healthy teeth for life. Cleaning Your Removable Appliance Avoid eating anything sticky or chewy Avoid biting large pieces of anything hard or crunchy Avoid biting off or into parts of food Definitely avoid chewing on pens, pencils, and fingernails. You will notice that it is much more difficult to keep your teeth clean with braces. Food compacts in the braces and between your teeth, and can only be removed by proper brushing and flossing. If plaque remains on the teeth for any length of time, it will leave a permanent white scar on the surface called decalcification. Brushing after meals should become part of your daily schedule to avoid the accumulation of food particles in your teeth and braces. Especially during orthodontic treatment, it is optimal to brush your teeth at certain times such as:. In the morning after breakfast . After lunch or right after school . After snacks-especially sweet or sugary ones . After supper . At bedtime Use a toothbrush with soft bristles and a small strip of fluoride toothpaste. Hold the toothbrush at an angle to the teeth and move your toothbrush in small circular motions to loosen food particles above and below the brackets, between the teeth and brackets and along your gumline. Also brush the inside and the chewing surfaces of your front and back teeth. It will take you several minutes (at least 3 minutes) to thoroughly brush your teeth with braces. Don't forget to also brush your tongue and the roof of your mouth before you thoroughly rinse. Your toothbrush will wear out faster because of your appliances, so be sure to replace it whenever the bristles start to wear down or fray. Electric toothbrushes are helpful so that it will do the circular or vibrating motions for you. A Proxabrush is a small interdental (between the teeth) toothbrush that you may use to clean underneath and around your wires and braces. Use the Proxabrush gently to avoid damaging your wires and direct it away from the gums to avoid hitting your gums with the brush. The Proxabrush will help you to clean your braces while maintaining healthy teeth and gums. A waterpik may be a useful addition but it cannot remove the sticky plaque that adheres to the teeth. It is important to floss and use an antibacterial mouthwash and fluoride treatment during your orthodontic treatment for optimal oral hygiene. Brushing You will notice that it is much more difficult to keep your teeth clean with braces. Food compacts in the braces and between your teeth, and can only be removed by proper brushing and flossing. If plaque remains on the teeth for any length of time, it will leave a permanent white scar on the surface called decalcification. Brushing after meals should become part of your daily schedule to avoid the accumulation of food particles in your teeth and braces. Especially during orthodontic treatment, it is optimal to brush your teeth at certain times such as: . In the morning after breakfast . After lunch or right after school . After snacks-especially sweet or sugary ones . After supper . At bedtime Use a toothbrush with soft bristles and a small strip of fluoride toothpaste. Hold the toothbrush at an angle to the teeth and move your toothbrush in small circular motions to loosen food particles above and below the brackets, between the teeth and brackets and along your gumline. Also brush the inside and the chewing surfaces of your front and back teeth. It will take you several minutes (at least 3 minutes) to thoroughly brush your teeth with braces. Don't forget to also brush your tongue and the roof of your mouth before you thoroughly rinse. Your toothbrush will wear out faster because of your appliances, so be sure to replace it whenever the bristles start to wear down or fray. Electric toothbrushes are helpful so that it will do the circular or vibrating motions for you. A Proxabrush is a small interdental (between the teeth) toothbrush that you may use to clean underneath and around your wires and braces. Use the Proxabrush gently to avoid damaging your wires and direct it away from the gums to avoid hitting your gums with the brush. The Proxabrush will help you to clean your braces while maintaining healthy teeth and gums. A waterpik may be a useful addition but it cannot remove the sticky plaque that adheres to the teeth. It is important to floss and use an antibacterial mouthwash and fluoride treatment during your orthodontic treatment for optimal oral hygiene. Flossing For areas between the teeth that a toothbrush cannot reach, using dental floss will help remove food particles and plaque. Flossing takes more time and patience when you are wearing braces, but it is important to floss your teeth every day. Use the floss threader and an adequate length of dental floss (approximately 12 to 18 inches) to floss under your archwire and between your teeth daily. Thread the dental floss through the hole in the floss threader as you would a needle and thread. Use the stiff end of the floss threader to guide the dental floss under your wire between the brackets or bands. Wrap the floss around the side of a tooth in a "C" shape and then slide the dental floss up and down along the side of your tooth and gently below the gumline to loosen any debris. Repeat on the adjacent side. You will be able to feel when the tooth is clean and hear the squeak of the floss against your clean teeth. Repeat this process between each tooth. Floss behind all of your back teeth. Use care around your wires and do not put too much pressure on them with the floss. Floss at night to make sure your teeth are clean before you go to bed. When you first begin flossing around your braces, your gums may bleed a little. If the bleeding does not go away after the first few times, inform a staff member at your next appointment. Cleaning Your Removable Appliance Brush your removable appliance every day as a part of your regular brushing and flossing schedule. Because food particles and plaque can accumulate on your appliance just as they do on your teeth, brush and rinse your appliance daily. Retainer cleaning tablets are available and may be used occasionally as needed once or twice a month. Eating with Braces Please be conscientious and use care when eating with your braces. You do not have to give up all of your favorite foods, but eating certain types of foods may damage or loosen your appliances which may lengthen your treatment time. There are three main categories to think about before you take that first bite with braces. Many of the foods you normally enjoy eating are allowable as long as you follow these rules. Make sure all your food is cut up into small bite sized pieces-approximately the size of a small grape. Please avoid foods in these three categories: Avoid eating anything sticky or chewy This includes taffy, caramel, Airheads, Skittles, Sugar Babies, Now or Laters, jellybeans, Jolly Ranchers, Starburst, licorice, and candy bars that have caramel in them to name a few. Creamy peanut butter is fine. Avoid biting large pieces of anything hard or crunchy Some examples include hard candies, hard pretzels, pizza crust, raw carrots and definitely no chewing on ice to name a few. Find substitutes such as thin pretzel sticks instead of large hard pretzels, thinly sliced or cooked carrots instead of larger, uncooked pieces. Also avoid biting into meaty ribs or chicken legs. Pull the meat off the bone before eating. Avoid biting off or into parts of food Please do not bite into foods such as apples, corn-on-the-cob, pizza, or sandwiches. Cut apples into small, thin, bite-sized wedges and chew them with your back teeth. Cut or break up pizza or sandwiches or hamburgers also. Only eat corn off of the cob. The Good News on Foods: . You may occasionally chew stickless and sugar-free and gum. Please do not overdo it. Your braces cannot withstand these daily and excessive chewing forces. Should something become broken, bent, or loose, you will be asked to completely cease any gum chewing. . Popcorn is okay, but avoid eating the kernels that have not completely popped and be sure to floss afterwards. . Chips and tacos should be broken into small pieces and chewed in the back. . If you eat raw veggies, cut them into small pieces or cook until soft and chew them with your back teeth. . Other sweets, sodas, and drinks containing sugar are okay in moderation, but make sure you brush immediately after indulging. Definitely avoid chewing on pens, pencils, and fingernails. If you have any questions regarding certain foods, please ask us. If something is broken or loose, please call as soon as possible. Fixing broken appliances takes extra time that your regularly scheduled appointment may not offer. Click here to request more information or make an appointment |
