Cleaning
It’s more important than ever to brush and floss regularly when you have braces, so your teeth and gums are healthy after orthodontic treatment.
Flossing with braces takes a few minutes to master, but is essential while you are wearing braces. The first step to flossing is getting the floss under the archwire that connects the braces together. Once the floss is under the arch wire, it can be wrapped around the tooth to one side. The floss is then pushed up toward the gum line and then pulled down toward the wire. This should be repeated four to five times to ensure all plaque is removed. Be careful not to put too much pressure on the arch wire as you pull down. Then wrap the floss around the neighboring tooth. Once both teeth are done, the floss is pulled out and the process repeated for the next two teeth.
Eating
You must be careful with what and how you eat. You must avoid anything too hard or sticky. From now on all food, even things you think are soft, MUST be cut up first into small pieces and chewed gently on your side teeth. Most of this is common sense but remember to think before you eat something. A breakage can put treatment time back and mean that your braces will be on longer than necessary.
Foods to Avoid
Ice (even if you’re careful)
Jolly Ranchers, snickers and other hard candies
Gum of any kind
Hard chips like Doritos
Carrots, apples, pears, etc should be cut into small pieces
Stay away from the bottom of the popcorn bag - the hard kernels are bad news
Meat should not be chewed off the bone - it should be cut off
Corn on the cob should be sliced off
Pizza crust, bagels, and French bread should be broken into bite-sized pieces
Pens, pencils, and fingernail should not be bitten as they will damage your braces
Problems
After your brace has been fitted your teeth will feel tender, this is normal. Mild painkillers such as Paracetamol or Ibuprofen will help. If brackets or bands rub your lips and cheeks, you may need to use brace relief (wax), which is on sale at the practice. Your teeth may feel wobbly, DO NOT WORRY, this is quite normal.
Breakages
If you break your brace please ring the surgery immediately unless your next appointment is within a day or so. Always keep any bits that come off and bring them with you to your appointment. Try not to break your brace. Remember breakages mean longer treatment. You will still need to attend routine check up appointments with your dentist during your orthodontic treatment.
To successfully complete your treatment plan, you’ll need to work in partnership with our office. Your teeth and jaws can only move toward their corrected positions if you consistently wear the rubber bands, headgear or other appliances as prescribed. We look forward to working with you to complete your orthodontic treatment plan.