HEALTHY TEETH
Brushing and Flossing
Brushing in Allentown
Step 1. Start with the outside of the teeth, with the Brushing at a straight angle. Use circular, vibrating motions.
Step 2. Clean the area between the gums and braces by angling the brush down (up for the lower jaw). Keep moving in a small circular motion.
Step 3. Clean the rest of the outside of the teeth by angling the brush up (down for the lower jaw).
Step 4. Carefully brush the chewing surface of both the upper and lower jaw.
Step 5. Finish by brushing the inside of the teeth.
Interdental Toothbrush
A Proxabrush is an interdental (between the teeth) toothbrush that you may use to clean underneath and around your wires and braces. Use the Proxabrush gently to avoid damaging your wires. The Proxabrush will help you to clean your braces while maintaining healthy teeth and gums.
Flossing
Step 1. Floss at least once a day. The Floss needs to be pulled under the archwire. A floss threader facilitates this. Start by pulling floss through the threader.
Step 2. Push the end of the floss threader under the archwire and pull the floss through.
Step 3. Pull the floss up between the teeth and gently move it up and down the side of both teeth. Remember to move it up all the way under the gums.
Step 4. Pull the floss out and use a different section of it for the next tooth.
Rinsing
When you are finished brushing and flossing, rinse your mouth carefully with warm water or an antiseptic dental rinse. An antiseptic dental rinse can help minor gum inflammations and irritations from orthodontic appliances. It is used to cleanse canker sores, minor wounds, and other mouth and gum irritations. The utilization of mouth rinse also removes debris, thus enabling a natural healing process to occur.
Retainer Care
During the retention phase, it is important to brush your retainer every time you brush your teeth as they can accumulate food particles and plaque. Once a day, you should soak your appliance in a glass of room-temperature tap water with a denture-cleaning tablet, such as Polident or Efferdent. This will keep your appliance tasting better. Do not use hot water as it can distort the appliance.
Food Guidelines
Your teeth may be a little sore for the first week in braces, so we, recommend sticking to a soft food diet until the discomfort subsides. While in braces, you can still eat just about anything although there are a few exceptions. You should avoid hard foods, such as ice and pizza crust, as well as sticky foods, including licorice and caramels. These food can damage wires and brackets. It is also important to minimize foods high in sugar content, like ice cream and cookies, and reduce sugary drinks to once a day.
