Life With Braces In Aurora, ON
Now that you have your braces, how do you take care of them? It’s important for you to know how to take care of your braces properly throughout your entire orthodontic treatment.
Eating With Braces
Don’t worry, you’ll be eating popcorn and snacking on potato chips again in no time! However, before you can start enjoying some of the treats you love, you will need to take special care to avoid any foods that could damage your new appliances. You will also need to cut up your food into small pieces and use your back teeth for chewing.
Foods to Avoid
- Sugary Gum
- Popcron
- Sticky candy
- Crusty bread / bagels
- Corn on cob / whole apples / raw carrots
- Beef jerky
Foods to Enjoy
- Minty mouth spray / breath freshener strips
- Cheese or creamy peanut butter and soft crackers
- Frozen yogurt / Greek yogurt
- Pasta
- Fruit cups / steamed veggies
- Meatballs
Brushing And Flossing With Braces In Aurora, ON
Brushing and flossing are the most important things that you can do to keep your teeth and gums healthy while you are undergoing orthodontic treatment. In addition to preventing cavities, brushing and flossing stimulates the gums to keep them healthy and prevent gum disease. Cavities and periodontal disease can complicate your orthodontic treatment and lengthen your overall time in braces.
Dr. Shojaei and the Aurora Orthodontics team recommend that you brush your teeth twice a day and floss at least once a day.
Brushing With Braces
Both electric and manual toothbrushes are effective at cleaning teeth if you use proper technique and brush long enough. Overall, an electric toothbrush may make brushing easier, resulting in better plaque removal.
Brush your teeth for two minutes daily, or after every meal with a soft-bristled, small-headed toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste.
Brush the outside and inside surfaces of your teeth using small, gentle, circular motions while positioning the head of the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to the gum line. Brush the teeth’s chewing surfaces and the inside surface of the front teeth using short, gentle, back-and-forth motions. Pay close attention to the areas around your brackets.
Flossing With Braces
To floss with braces, use a floss threader or special orthodontic floss to thread the floss under the wire. Wrap the ends of the floss around your pointer fingers of both hands, leaving a few inches of floss between them. Gently slide the floss between each set of teeth using a back and forth motion. Floss the sides of each tooth beneath the gum line to remove plaque and food particles. Repeat this process until you’ve flossed all of your teeth.
Floss Threader
Brushing Techniques with Braces
Brushing with Proxabrush
Flossing with superfloss
Brushing with Braces (Power Brush)
Dealing With Discomfort
For the first few days after you get your braces, you will want stick to soft foods, and anything very cold such as eggs, soup, bananas, frozen yogurt, ice cream, and cold water. This should help with any sensitivity or soreness.
Irritated gums and other sore spots can be relieved by rinsing your mouth with a warm saltwater.
If a bracket or band breaks but is still attached to the wire, leave it in place and put wax on it if needed for comfort. If the bracket or band can be removed easily, place it in an envelope and bring to your next appointment at our Aurora, ON orthodontic office.
Our goal is to ensure our patients’ orthodontic journeys are as exceptional, comfortable, and efficient as possible. We make it priority to provide our patients with the highest quality orthodontic care in a friendly, comfortable environment. If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to contact Aurora Orthodontics or ask Dr. Shojaei during your next visit!
Retainer Instructions
- Wear your retainer at all times, until the doctor instructs otherwise.
- Take your retainer out when eating, and always put it back in its case! (Most appliances are lost in school lunchrooms or restaurants.)
- Clean the retainer thoroughly once a day with a toothbrush and toothpaste. Use warm but not hot water. Brushing retainers removes the plaque, and eliminates odors. Efferdent® or other orthodontic appliance cleaners can be used but do not take the place of brushing.
- When your retainer is not in your mouth, it should ALWAYS be in its case. Pets love to chew on them!
- Initially, you may find it difficult to speak. Practice speaking, reading, or singing out loud to get used to it faster.
- Retainers are breakable, so treat yours with care. If your retainer gets lost or broken, call us immediately.
- If you have any questions or concerns about your retainer, or you believe it needs adjusting, call us. Do not try to adjust it yourself.
- Always bring your retainer to your appointments.
- Retainer replacements are expensive, but with proper care they will last for years!
- Remove your retainer when you go swimming.
- Keep retainers away from hot water, hot car dashboards, pockets, the washing machine, and napkins.