BRUSHING

You should brush your teeth 4-5 times per day, at least one of those times while looking into a mirror to remove all food and plaque completely. There are 3 steps to brushing properly with braces:

Step 1: First, brush the outside gum area of your teeth (the area between the brace and the gum) using a 45 degree angle of the brush head. This is an area that can become inflamed and bleed alot if neglected, so this step is very important.


NOTE: If your gums bleed when brushing this area, do not avoid that area. Continue stimulating the area with the bristles. After 3-4 days of doing this, your puffy raw gums will shrink up and stop bleeding, which is a good sign that your gums are healthy.

Step 2: Next, brush the inside gum area using the same 45 degree angle of your toothbrush head. It is important to be thorough in all steps by brushing ALL your teeth (not just the front teeth), a few teeth at a time.





Step 3: Brush the top (biting) edges of all your teeth. Also, be sure to brush ALL appliances in your mouth, always finish by brushing your tongue; this is an important area where bad breath starts.




FLOSSING

Superfloss by Oral B is the recommended floss for patients with braces. A piece of Superfloss has 3 parts:
1) a stiff, straight end
2) a spongy central section
3) a normal floss end

Step 1: Pass the stiff end of the floss under the wire between two teeth.



Step 2: Make a C-shape against the brace on each side with the spongy part of the floss. This will clean the sides of the braces as well as in between, where alot of cavities tend to occur.



Step 3: Sneak the normal floss end carefully through the contact between the two teeth and pass up and down in a C-shape against each tooth.



Repeat all 3 steps for every tooth in your mouth. You should floss at least once per day. Always rinse your mouth after brushing and flossing.

Don't forget to use a fluoride rinse or a brush-on fluoride gel in the morning and right before bedtime every day.

Simple Essential Rules
While you are wearing your braces, remember these simple essential rules.
  • Use a soft bristle to clean your teeth
  • Brush three to four times a day
  • use super floss, made by Oral-B
  • Use wax when braces irritate your mouth
  • Call the office immediately if your braces disengage
Please do not eat any sticky foods, examples:

CaramelsSharbites
Candy bars with caramelSkittles
Candy or caramel applesStarbursts
Fruit roll ups of any kindToffee
Gum of any varietyGummy Bears
  


Avoid hard tough food, examples:
DoritosFritos
Pizza crustIce cubes
Nuts of any varietyBagels
  
  


Cut up snappy fruits, vegetables and meats on the bone and chew on back teeth, examples:


ApplesPears
CarrotsCelery
Corn on the cobChicken wings
PizzaSpare ribs
  


Keep your sceduled appointments & visit your dentist regularly! There are several things you should know about minor problems that may occur with braces, and what to do about them:

1) Putting on braces is not painful. Don't listen to what others tell you. The first 2-3 days after getting braces on, there will be some initial soreness and discomfort which can be relieved by avoiding hard foods and taking an over-the-counter pain reliever.

2) Loose Brace: Occasionally, a glued bracket may come loose and become an irritation to your mouth. You can push a small ball of wax onto the brace to smooth off the irritation, or you can remove the loose bracket and save it in an envelope to bring to the office. Call the office as soon as possible in order for us to reglue the bracket.



3) Poking Wire: Occasionally, a wire may stick out of the back brace. Either a ball of wax can be used, or you may use a nail clipper or cuticle cutter to cut the extra piece of wire that is sticking out.



4) Wire out of Back Brace: Care must be taken to avoid hard or sticky foods that can bend the wire or make it come out of the back brace. If this does happen, though, use a needle nose plier or tweezer to put the wire back into the hole in the back brace.



5) Poking Hook: some of your brackets have small hooks on them so that you may wear elastics when Dr. Nick says it's time to wear them. These hooks can occasionally be irritating to the lips or cheeks. If this happens, you may either use a pencil eraser to carefully push the hook in, or you can place a ball of wax on the hook to make the area feel smooth.



If you are unable to take care of the problem using these tricks, please feel free to call the office or Dr. Nick's pager (if not during office hours). We are here to take care of you, so you don't need to wait until your next appointment.