HOME CARE INSTRUCTIONS

The following is provided to help you adjust to your new appliances as easily as possible. If at anytime you have a question, please feel free to call our office and we’ll be happy to help you.

TOOTHPASTE
TOOTHBRUSH
BRUSHING
FLOSSING
TEETH CLEANINGS
WATER PICKS
WAX
SORENESS
EATING HABITS
EMERGENCIES

Your Cooperation is Essential

Excellent orthodontic treatment results can only be obtained with cooperative and informed patients and parents. Successful treatment is a team effort: patients, parents, doctors and staff all working together. To achieve the best results in the shortest time you must:

Keep regularly scheduled appointments.
Practice good oral hygiene.
Wear rubber bands, headgear, appliances and retainers as instructed.
Call the office as soon as possible should you experience loose or broken appliances.
Adhere to all home care instructions.

Failure to follow these rules could lengthen your treatment time. Please remember that following directions is your responsibility. Dr. Schroeder, Dr. Parks and the rest of the team will encourage you, but cannot force you to follow instructions. Cooperation throughout treatment is your best guarantee of achieving a beautiful smile.
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TOOTHPASTE:

Fluoride is recommended at every brushing instead of toothpaste. This adds extra protection against spotting on your teeth. If you already have fluoride from your dentist, you can use that, or pick some up in our office. To use your fluoride, use a pea size amount and brush thoroughly, Don’t rinse, eat or drink anything for at least 30 minutes, so the fluoride can sit on the teeth. If you have a problem with puffiness on the gum tissue we also carry Oxyfresh mouth rinse; it helps get rid of the bacteria in the mouth, which causes puffiness.
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TOOTHBRUSH:

We recommend a soft bristle toothbrush of any brand. Soft bristles do a great job cleaning and they won’t damage the gum tissue. A battery operated or electric toothbrush is also an excellent choice.
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BRUSHING:

Brushing is going to take a lot longer now. You need to make sure that you are brushing three times a day. If you cannot brush after lunch, at least rinse your mouth thoroughly and brush as soon as you get home. It is important that you keep the teeth very clean. Be sure you are brushing all surfaces of the teeth and remember to go all the way to the back.
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FLOSSING:

It is very important that you floss daily. To help with this we put some “floss threaders” in your take home bag. Run the threader under the wire between the braces. Place the floss through the loop and pull the floss through the teeth. Go to the next tooth and repeat the same process.
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TEETH CLEANINGS:

We also recommend that you have your teeth cleaned by
your dentist every three months. This will allow us to keep a closer watch over your hygiene to make sure your teeth and gums stay as healthy as possible.
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WATER PICKS:

A water pick can be used to help massage the gum tissue and remove any food or plaque that may be more difficult to remove with brushing or flossing alone. Certain appliances can not be reached by a toothbrush, and require a water pick for proper cleaning.
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WAX:

If your braces rub against your cheek and cause a sore spot, take a small piece of the wax, roll it into a ball, dry the area that is causing the problem, and press the wax over that area so that it will feel smooth (be generous). It will keep the brace from continuing to rub that area and let it heal. As the teeth begin to level extra wire will begin to slowly push out in the back. If it pokes you, place wax over it, and schedule an appointment to have this clipped. You can leave the wax on while eating, but be sure to take it off before brushing. Use as much wax as you need, if you run out, let us know and we’ll mail you more or you can pick some up at the office. Warm salt-water rinses will also help with the healing of the tissue.
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SORENESS:

Usually the teeth will be sore for 2-3 days after adjustments. You may need to switch to softer foods that don’t require as much chewing, such as macaroni and cheese or mashed potatoes. Going to liquids only can prolong the soreness. Chewing can actually help relieve the tenderness, so chew as much as possible. Rinsing with warm salt water or taking an over the counter pain reliever will also help.
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EATING HABITS:

You will need to change some of your eating habits. Things that are extremely hard and crunchy you will have to stop eating altogether, including ice and hard candies such as peppermints and Jolly Ranchers. You will also need to stay away from anything that is really sticky or gooey, like gum, caramel, taffy, Skittles, Starbursts, gummy bears and fruit roll ups. All of these things can loosen the glue that bonds the braces. Be careful when biting into whole fruits and vegetables like apples, pears, carrots and celery. These all need to be cut into small pieces. Cut corn on the cob off the cob and any meat on the bone, like turkey, chicken or ribs off the bone. This will keep you from loosening your front brackets. Watch things like chips and hard breads, these will need to be broken and chewed with the back teeth. Chewing pens, pencils and your fingernails can also loosen your braces. It’s best to stay away from popcorn because the hulls often get stuck under the gum tissue and can cause an infection. The next time you’re in our office look through our cook books for The Braces Cook Book featuring comfort food recipes for tender teeth; or go to www.BracesCookBook.com for a copy of your own.

There are many other things that we haven’t mentioned, so use your best judgement. If you have a question about a particular food, choose something else for the time being and ask us about it the next time you’re in.
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RETAINERS:

Wearing retainers is a life long commitment. It is important that you care for them properly. When they are not in your mouth, they should be in your case. Don’t put them in your pocket or they can be damaged. Don’t wrap them in a napkin; they will be thrown away. Keep them away from dogs and cats; they love to chew them! Unless using Retainer Brite for cleaning your retainers, you should only use your toothbrush and water. Soak them occasionally in Oxyfresh mouth rinse for freshness. Do not boil them for cleaning or expose them to a high heat such as the dash of a hot car as they will warp. Small cracks or small holes from grinding are not a problem. However, if your retainer cracks through, you will need another as soon as possible, (your teeth will shift). Be gentle with your retainers; just like eyeglasses or an expensive piece of jewelry, they are costly to replace! To purchase a supply of Retainer Brite go to www.SmileShop.com.
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EMERGENCIES:

There really aren’t many true orthodontic emergencies. If you ever have anything poking, loose or broken, just call the office as soon as possible for an appointment. You can always do whatever it takes to make yourself comfortable. Clip the wire, bend something or cover it with wax until your appointment. For those rare occasions when an appliance restricts you from closing your mouth, keeps you from eating or you experience severe pain, call our office for immediate attention. If it is after hours, you will receive instructions on how to contact the assistant on call. She will be able to tell you exactly what needs to be done. For trauma to the mouth (such as a hard blow or fall, etc.) you will need to call your dentist to make sure the teeth are not damaged (all orthodontic work will be done after the patient heals). If it is a severe trauma, you can call your dentist, but you will probably need to go to the hospital emergency room.
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