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Ensure that you read this vital information
Oral Hygiene Brace Care & Emergency Advice – it is VERY IMPORTANT that you read these instructions to maintain a healthy mouth, reduce your treatment time and reduce the risk of permanent staining on your teeth.
Brushing Instructions
- Brush 3 times a day.
- Brush teeth for 3 minutes each time then brush around and behind the brace for a further 2 minutes using the interdental brushes in your starter pack.
- Make sure you are brushing every tooth individually and every part of the tooth, especially the gum line to avoid any plaque build up.
- Use mouthwash once a day before bed. Mouthwash has to be alcohol free and contain Fluoride. (Alcohol can weaken the rubber components used on your brace).
- Use disclosing tablets 2-3 times a week, only when you notice improvement you can slowly cut it down to once a week throughout the whole of your treatment. It might be an idea to check after you’ve brushed your teeth to ensure that you are brushing correctly.
Poor tooth brushing leads to permanent tooth and gum damage. The teeth can become permanently scarred or marked. The gums can recede and the tooth can loosen. These are real risks and if persistent poor hygiene continues after these warnings then the brace may be removed permanently to prevent further healthy teeth from being damaged.
Electric toothbrushes have been proven to give patients a better brushing result. If you do not already have an electric toothbrush you could purchase a Sonicare or Oral B electric toothbrush with us today. Please ask for details.
Things you MUST NOT eat;
- any food items that are very chewy or very hard. Chewy and hard foods may break your braces. Breakages delay your treatment sometimes up to a month or so each breakage,
- hard chocolate, chocolate with nuts and toffees i.e. Mars, Snickers, Twix, Topic, Double Decker etc.,
- chewy sweets, boiled sweets and nuts,
- chewing gum,
- hard crusty rolls, pizza crusts, baguettes, French sticks, seeded and granary breads.
- nuts.
- fizzy drinks (can cause decay).
Things that you CAN eat;
- all foods that are not very hard or chewy and are not acidic or high in sugars,
- vegetables, meats, fruits, pasta, rice, breads,
- water and milk.
Foods to be careful with and how to adapt the way you eat;
- soft chocolate as a treat (eg. weekends) eg. Galaxy, Aero, Twirl, Milkybar, Milkyway, Dairy Milk. Break a piece off, place into the mouth and suck to avoid any breakages,
- fruit juice and smoothies must be a once a day treat as they are quite high in natural sugars and are acidic, squash (no added sugar) is fine as long as it is very diluted. Diet fizzy drinks should only be as a treat and
Please watch these videos on oral hygiene and diet when having orthodontic treatment:
- vegetables and fruit like apples, pears, carrots cut into pieces and place onto back teeth (DO NOT BITE INTO THEM DIRECTLY). Be careful with seeded and stoned fruit,
- boned Meat – chicken wings, drumsticks, spare ribs but (DO NOT NIBBLE ON BONES),
- crisps – soft crisps are fine (eg. Quavers, Monster Munch). Very hard crisps should be avoided.
Reduce Your Snacking
Snacking is the main reason for tooth decay. This process is accelerated with a brace.
As the food in your diet is consumed by the bacteria in your mouth they produce acid as a waste product. This dissolves the minerals out of your teeth (calcium and fluoride) and begins to cause marks (decalcification) and then progresses in to cavities as the tooth decay worsens. Tooth decay (beginning of which are marks on your teeth) can begin from 8 weeks wearing a brace combined with poor hygiene and a bad diet. Therefore good brushing, reducing snacking, drinking fizzy and acidic drinks (fruit juices) will help you achieve that wonderful smile without damaged teeth.
Pain Relief
Pain Relief after brace fitting or adjustment of braces. Discomfort usually occurs 4-6 hours after brace fitment and can take up to one week usually for it to subside. We advise patients to take some painkillers such as paracetamol or Nurofen (Ibuprofen) over the next few days after a brace is fitted. The patient’s teeth will feel bruised so it will be at its most uncomfortable when pressure is applied to the teeth so we recommend that patients stick to a soft diet e.g. pasta, until they feel they are ready to bite into something harder.
Braces Rubbing/Digging In
If any part of the brace is digging into the mouth or rubbing causing discomfort the patient should use the wax as instructed. The initial wire is flexible and can readily dislodge from the very last teeth. If this is not causing discomfort it can be left till the next appointment. If a bracket (metal square) is lost please call the practice for advice on 01277 848818. They do not always need to be replaced immediately and patients can wait till their next appointment. Repeated and multiple breakages are uncommon and can increase treatment time significantly. This is primarily due to poor diet and compliance. Greater care should be taken to avoid chewy and hard foods.
Mouth Guards
If you play any contact sports (e.g Rugby, Hockey, Lacrosse, Boxing, Martial Arts) you will need a custom made mouth guard. The mouth guards that sports shops sell are melted and moulded over the brace. DO NOT use them as they can get stuck over your braces. We can have a custom made one made by our lab. Please let us know as soon as possible if you would like to purchase a mouth guard as they do take 7-10 days to come back from the laboratory once we have taken and sent impression (moulding) of the patient’s teeth and braces! They are specifically designed for patients with a brace so they should last throughout the whole of your treatment. We also make specialist mouthguards for patients who do sports like boxing and martial arts.
They come in a wide range of colours!
Please watch these videos on oral hygiene and diet when having orthodontic treatment: