Once having your braces fitted, it is very important that you maintain good oral hygiene throughout the treatment to prevent tooth decay and gum disease.
To get you started we will provide you with a hygiene goody bag that includes; Interdental brushes, Single tufted brush and Orthodontic wax.
To maintain a high standard of oral hygiene during your treatment, please ensure your home care routine includes:
- Brushing teeth morning and night for at least 2 minutes using a fluoride toothpaste
- Spit out excess toothpaste, leave remaining toothpaste on teeth, don’t rinse with water or mouthwash afterwards
- Toothpaste should be the last thing on your teeth before you go to sleep
- We also recommend an Oral B rechargeable electric toothbrush with Cross Action heads. (Oral B Pro 2 model is a great model to start on)
- Use interdental brushes for in between the teeth and around the bracket and wire to get to the more difficult areas your normal toothbrush struggles to get into
- A single tufted toothbrush will also assist these more difficult to reach areas
- Cleaning teeth after 1 hour after meals so that food is not sitting around the brace is also very important.
If you are unsure how to use interdental brushes or the single tufted brush, our hygienists will be able to show you how. TePe have also created two quick videos to show you how to use them:
Diet
After having braces fitted you will need to slightly alter your diet;
- Try to cut back on sugary and acidic foods such as sweets and fizzy drinks etc. Sugar that is left sitting on the teeth and around the brace can eventually lead to tooth decay
- Try to avoid eating foods too crunchy or hard, liked boiled sweets, crusty bread etc, this can cause the brace to break and will need repairing
Discomfort after brace fitting
Your braces may rub against the inside of your mouth causing irritation. We will provide you with orthodontic wax to shield any troublesome areas, all you need to do is rub the wax on the part of the brace causing the irritation.
Whilst becoming familiar with your new braces, it’s likely your mouth will be sore for a week or so after fitting, but don’t panic, this is normal. Your brace shouldn’t be too painful, but aching is completely normal as your teeth begin to move. To help relieve the pain, you can take over the counter pain relief but please ensure you read all the information on packaging and do not exceed the recommended dose.
