INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAINTAINING YOUR BRACES

First three days:

1. Soreness of teeth is expected for 3-5 days– Do warm salt water rinses.
2. SPlease take medication as recommended.
3. SGetting used to wire and braces will take approximately 5 days.
4. SIncreased salivation is expected.
5. SSmall abrasions or ulcerations are expected.
6. SAlways keep your lips moist to avoid discomfort due to the braces

ORAL HYGIENE DURING ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT (Braces):

Brushing:

It's more important than ever to brush and floss regularly when you have braces, so the teeth and gums are healthy after orthodontic treatment. Patients who do not keep their teeth clean may require more frequent visits to the dentist for a professional cleaning. Adults who have a history of gum disease should also see a periodontist during orthodontic treatment.

Guidelines for Brushing

The first thing to consider when cleaning your teeth is that there are three surfaces of each tooth that need to be brushed.

The Outside

• When brushing the outside of your teeth you should try to make a 45 degree angle toward the gum line between the head of your toothbrush and the tooth itself.
• It is especially important to make sure the area between the brace and the gum stays clean.
• Try to brush three teeth at a time. Make sure these teeth are completely free of food and plaque before moving to the next few. Once you're done with the outsides of the top and bottom teeth you can move to the inside.

The Inside

• When brushing the inside surfaces of your teeth, try to maintain the 45 degree angle towards the gum line as you did with the outside surfaces. Again, try to brush three teeth at a time and make sure that they are clean before moving on.

The Chewing Side

• Cleaning the chewing sides of the teeth should be straightforward. Remember to brush three teeth at a time prior to moving on to the next ones.

For best results use ORTHO STIM MB tooth brush which is available on Amazon (pack of 3)

Flossing

Flossing with braces takes a few minutes to master, but the effort is well worth it.

• There options for floss are:
• Using a floss called Superfloss.
• Using regular floss with floss threaders.
• Water flossers or aqua flossers
• hey can be found in the dental aisle of most supermarkets and drug stores.

How to floss:

• The first step to flossing is getting the floss under the wire that connects the braces together.
• Once the floss is under the archwire 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 wire as you pull down. Then wrap the floss around the neighbouring tooth. Once booth teeth are done, the floss is pulled out and the process repeated for the next two teeth.

Other

• Use of a fluoridated toothpaste is recommended. (If toothpaste is unavailable, brush without)
• Use your fluoride mouth Amflor rinse each night after brushing prior to bedtime.
• Interdental brushes are the preferred way to clean the areas in between braces and behind the wire.

EATING HABITS

1. Nothing sticky, gummy, chewy or hard.
1. No gum, caramels, taffy or whole bagels.
2. No popcorn, nuts or ice cubes.
2. Cut raw fruits and vegetables into sections.
3. Cut corn off the cob.
4. Don’t bite into chicken or ribs on the bone.

Helpful Hints for Irritation

1. Use white wax or ortho wax to cover the appliance.
2. Rinse mouth with warm salt water.
3. For tooth soreness take a mild analgesic or whatever you would normally take for a headache or similar pain.

Important – Do Not Forget!

1. If you are wearing a night brace, retainer or functional appliance, always bring it with you to each appointment.
2. Broken appliances will prolong treatment.
3. Cooperation in wearing elastics, night brace, and all removable appliances is most important to treatment success.
4. See your dentist for regular dental check-ups.

Telephone

• Feel free to call if there are any questions.
• Call immediately if a wire breaks or of a band or bracket comes loose. We need to schedule a special appointment to repair.
• Please call 24 hours in advance to cancel an appointment.

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