HOME CARE

• Braces
• Retainers & Appliances
• Brushing & Flossing
• First Aid

Home Care

Brushing

You will notice that it is much harder to keep your teeth clean with braces. Food compacts in the brackets and between your teeth, and can only be removed by brushing and flossing. If plaque remains on the teeth for any length of time, it will leave a permanent white scar on the surface. Brushing after meals should become part of your daily schedule. Use a soft toothbrush with firm pressure and brush at a 45-degree angle to the tooth and gum; brush in small circles above and below the brackets. Click here for visual instructions. Your toothbrush will wear out faster because of your appliances, so be sure to replace it whenever the bristles start to fray. A Waterpik can be a useful addition but it cannot remove the sticky plaque that adheres to the teeth. Sonicare toothbrushes are very helpful. Flossing is important and should be done every day.

Eating Habits

Please do not eat hard foods: nuts, ice, crisp taco shells, whole apples and carrots (cut them into pieces first), hard French bread crust and rolls, spareribs, corn on the cob (cut the corn off the cob before eating), and popcorn! These foods risk breaking brackets and wires. Also beware of nail biting and pen or pencil chewing habits, since these can damage your braces. Do not eat sticky foods: taffy, caramels, bubble gum, or sticky candy of any sort. Use common sense about most foods.

Absolutely No: Gum: Sugarless or otherwise Sticky Foods: Caramels Sugar Daddies Starbursts Caramel Apples Sugar Babies Licorice Toffee Tootsie Rolls Now & Laters

Eat with Caution or Cut up: Hard Foods Nuts Popcorn Bagels Apples Corn on the Cob Pizza Crusts Carrots (uncooked) Doritos Pretzels

Eat much less: Candy Ice Cream Cake, Cookies Pie Foods with Sugar Drink much less: Pop/Soda Drinks with Sugar