Doctor and patient

Appliance Care

Braces 101

Your braces will be a part of your lifestyle. How you manage your oral care is important and instruction is key. Dr. Chen and his staff will monitor and work with you to ensure proper oral health is maintained throughout the course of treatment and beyond. Here’s what is recommended.

 

The Daly Do’s & Don’ts

By now your braces are on and you are ready to do what is necessary to have a fantastic smile. While you’re waiting, Dr. Chen and staff want to provide you with the Daly Do’s and Don’ts for taking care of your teeth and embracing your braces.

#1 – Oral Hygiene

Braces have been put on your teeth to make them straight and nice-looking. It is important to keep your teeth and gums clean and free of plaque while your braces are on. Plaque is a harmful layer of bacteria on the teeth that can cause cavities. Without regular brushing, your teeth may decay.

#2 – Benefits of Brushing

Brushing teeth with braces isn't too different than brushing without braces.  Although brushing twice a day is the standard oral care recommendation, when you wear braces, you should brush after every time you eat. By using a soft-bristle toothbrush, fluoride toothpaste, and dental floss and a use a floss threader does the following:

  • Rinse your mouth with water to loosen food stuck in and around your braces
  • Floss between each tooth, in between brackets and wires, and beneath the gum line
  • Brush each tooth on all sides in a circular motion under and around your braces
  • Remove loose food from under brackets and wires by using a

#3 – Retainers Are In

No doubt you thought that once your braces were removed you were going to be finished with appliances. However, that’s not the case. In order to keep your smile intact, a retainer is provided and must be worn because as your body grows, your teeth do some shifting and your removable appliance keeps those teeth in place. So, to take care of your retainer, here are Dr. Chen’s recommendations.

  • Brush your retainers as part of your daily brushing and flossing routine
  • Soak your retainers daily to keep food particles from clinging to your retainer
  • Store your retainer in your appliance tray to keep it clean and protected

Soaking tip: Use Polydent, Efferdent, or other denture cleaning because they will help your retainer taste better and keep plaque and bacteria from accumulating.

#4 – Watch What You Eat

Foods on the DO NOT eat list:

  • Corn on the cob
  • Caramels
  • Bagels (cut them into pieces)
  • Ice (do not chew it)
  • Taffy
  • Whole raw carrots (cut them into strips)
  • Peanut brittle
  • Hard tack candy
  • Whole hard apples (cut them into pieces)
  • Popcorn
  • Gum of any kind

For helpful quick tips with your braces visit http://www.bracemateapp.com/our-apps/bracemate