Oral Hygiene
Taking care of your teeth while wearing braces is more important than ever. Good oral hygiene is an important part of your orthodontic treatment.
Flossing & Brushing
Carefully brushing with toothpastes and flossing is the best was to prevent plaque build-up, tooth decay and gum disease.
We recommend the following 3 easy steps:
1. Floss
Floss between all your teeth at least once daily (usually at night before going to bed).
2. Brush Your Teeth
Brush your teeth following meals and before going to bed at night.
3. Brush Between Your Braces
Use a “mini” (interdental) brush to get between your braces.
Foods to Avoid
While you are wearing braces, please avoid eating hard foods, sticky foods. Consider quitting bad habits, such as: fingernail biting, chewing pens/pencils and chewing on foreign objects as they can damage and get caught in the wires and brackets. Minimizing the amount of sugary foods you eat will reduce your risk of tooth decay and other related problems.
- Gum (sugar-free or regular)
- Liquorice
- Sour Patch Kids
- Fuzzy Peaches
- Swedish Berries
- Toffee
- Tootsie Rolls
- Caramels
- Starburst
- Ice
- Nuts
- French bread crust/rolls
- Corn on the cob
- Apples and carrots (unless cut into small pieces)
- Bagels
- Jolly Ranchers
- Skittles
- Pizza crust
- Uncooked carrots (unless cut)
- Cake
- Ice Cream
- Cookies
- Pie
- Candy
- Soda
- Sweetened tea
- Gatorade
- Kool-Aid
- Drinks with sugar
It’s important to regularly check your braces for bent or loose wires and brackets. If you have a loose/broken wire or bracket, please call our office immediately to arrange a repair appointment.
