Brushing With Braces
After every meal and before bed, brush with a soft-bristled toothbrush for two minutes. We will give you an Oral B electric toothbrush at the start of treatment that is perfect for the job. Use fluoride toothpaste. Be sure to get all surfaces of the teeth. For the inside and outside of the teeth, a 45-degree angle to the gumline hold should be used. The chewing surfaces should have direct contact and short back-and-forth motions should be used.
Flossing With Braces
Flossing should be done once a day, minimum. You can use regular floss with a floss threader to get between your braces. However, we suggest a water flosser to make things easier.
Eating With Braces
Braces are delicate, even though they might not look like they are. Many foods can end up damaging braces. We will give you a list of things to avoid and talk about ways you can modify certain foods so they are safe to indulge in.
Soreness Caused by Braces
Braces should never hurt, but there can be soreness when your mouth is adjusting. This will happen when your braces are first placed and after adjustments. We will go over ways to reduce these issues, such as salt water rinses, using sugarless gum, putting dental wax on the appliance, and taking over-the-counter pain medications.
Emergency Care
Genuine orthodontic emergencies are incredibly rare. If you ever have an accident that involves your mouth and braces, contact us after you get to the emergency room. Most things that go wrong, while annoying, aren’t really emergencies. However, we are always happy for you to call us with any concerns. Some things that might happen include:
- Loose bracket: Hold it in place with dental wax then call us. If it comes off, put it somewhere safe and bring it in with you when you see us.
- Loose wire: Using sterilized tweezers, try to direct it back into place. If you cannot, call us
- Poking wire: Try to work it into a place where it will not poke, and if you cannot, place dental wax on the offending part, then call us.
Playing Sports With Braces
If you play a contact sport or any sport where there is a risk of injury to the mouth, we will make a special mouthguard for you. Do not use commercially available ones as they can damage the braces. With the mouthguard, you will be able to play like normal.