Once your orthodontic appliance has been fitted it is essential to take good care of them through thorough brushing and following dietary instructions.
At Oldham Orthodontics we advise that you brush a minimum of three times per day and after every time you have eaten (this includes snacks). Fixed appliances should be cleaned methodically using an electric or a manual brush, taking care to brush above and below the appliance, not forgetting the biting surface or the side of the tooth without an appliance on.
Additional brushing with an interspace brush (Single tufted brush) or an interdental brush (such as a Tepe) is required twice daily to brush underneath the archwire ensuring all plaque and food debris is removed. In addition to the brushing we would recommend the use of a fluoride mouth wash daily, this would need to be carried out at a separate time to brushing.
Care needs to be taken with what is eaten whilst the fixed braces are on; we would advise you to avoid hard, sticky or chewy foods. Most foods can still be eaten however, how you eat them has to be adapted. For example: you can still have pizza but avoid the crust as this can knock the brackets off, if you want to eat an apple cut it up into pieces rather than biting into it.
Chewy sweets and chewing gum need to be avoided throughout treatment as they can remove parts of the appliance unintentionally. This would then mean a return visit to have the appliance repaired.
A review of what our patients drink on a day to day basis is required as fizzy drinks and flavoured waters need to be removed from the diet. We would advised plain water and tea/coffee without any sugar are consumed.
The combination of a poor oral hygiene and not following the dietary instructions can lead to de mineralisation of the tooth enamel. This means that once the fixed appliances are removed a white mottled affect appears on the tooth. Unfortunately, this cannot be removed without invasive treatment. We would hope that it would never get to this stage therefore we stress the importance of maintaining regular visits to see your Dentist and Orthodontic practitioner throughout treatment.
Should you notice anything wrong with your appliance please contact us immediately for further guidance.