How do I care for my braces and teeth?
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Maintaining excellent oral hygiene is more important then ever for orthodontic patients.
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Tooth decay, decalcification, bad breath and gum disease can arise if teeth are not kept meticulously clean during orthodontic treatment.
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It is essential to brush your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.
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A fluoride containing mouthwash is also recommended for orthodontic patients.
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Special toothbrushes are available to allow teeth to be kept clean when you have fixed braces. These will be shown to you and will be available from our reception.
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Removable braces are removed for cleaning, and a normal toothbrush and toothpaste can be used.
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Orthodontic braces are delicate and must be treated with care. Breakages during treatment will extend the duration of treatment.
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Avoid eating hard or sticky foods (toffees, boiled sweets, chewing gum, crusts etc) to prevent breakages.
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Cut food into small pieces before placing in mouth rather than using front teeth to bite into foods.
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Avoid foods with high sugar content, fruit drinks or fizzy drinks as frequent consumption of these types of food can lead to risk of developing permanent marks on your teeth.
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You must continue to visit your own dentist at regular intervals during orthodontic treatment.
Are there risks to having orthodontic treatment?
- If you have too many fizzy drinks (diet and non-diet) or eat sugary foods/sweets frequently during treatment, there is risk of developing permanent marks on teeth. Fizzy drinks (carbonated drinks) are acidic and lead to damage to enamel of teeth. Sugary foods allow rapid build up of plaque, which in turn produces acid that leads to enamel damage.
- Teeth that have previously sustained trauma (i.e. have been knocked), may discolour and/or become non-vital. These teeth will need further treatment, usually undertaken by your own dentist. It is important to let your orthodontist know if you have previously sustained trauma to your teeth.
- All orthodontic treatment causes changes to roots of teeth. These are usually minor and of no significance. Rarely, orthodontic treatment may lead to root-shortening (root-resorption) which is more significant. It is often possible to predict if you are at particular risk of root shortening.
Diet, brushing advise and individual risk assessment will be undertaken at your visit with us.
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