How to care for your braces

Brushing is more important than ever. Be sure to concentrate on the area between the braces and the gums. This is where the plaque collects and will cause unsightly staining if not regularly removed. Please remember that it is the invisible plaque that causes the trouble and not food that you can see in your braces. Brushing time is a minimum of six Minutes, three Minutes with a normal brush and three minutes with Interspace brush.

You must avoid sticky foods. These include chewing gum, toffee and other sweets, as this weakens the bond and causes breakages of your brace. Avoid biting into anything hard and use a knife to cut food into smaller pieces or break it up with your fingers (e.g. bread, sandwiches) should be cut/broken into small bite size pieces. Avoid very hard or crispy foods altogether.

In general, keep objects such as pencils, pens and fingernails out of the mouth.

Should you suffer from any mouth ulcers or have any sharp bits digging into your lips or cheeks, use some of the dental wax. Dry the bracket and tooth causing the discomfort and mould the wax around the bracket. The wax will come off when you eat or brush your teeth. Also a salt mouth rinse three times a day will promote healing. Use luke warm water and a teaspoon of salt and swirl in your mouth for 30 seconds. Repeat this three times a day.

If you participate in any contact sports it is essential that you wear an orthodontic mouth guard. You can purchase a sports mouth guard from Hartlepool Dental.