It is absolutely essential that you keep your teeth, gums, and braces spotlessly clean. If brushing is not adequate, permanent staining (brown or white spots) and cavities could develop. Keeping your braces clean is accomplished by brushing a minimum of 3 times a day for 3 minutes and flossing once a day. Our office strongly encourages this to avoid the risk of developing unhealthy gums. If any of the following symptoms occur (redness, bleeding and swelling), please feel free to ask the clinical staff to review brushing techniques with you. When bleeding occurs while brushing, this is usually due to a plaque build up or improper brushing techniques (healthy gums do not bleed). It is essential to continue brushing in a gentle circular motion along the gum line. Even though we check your brushing at every appointment, it is still necessary to continue your regular 6-month check up with your family Dentist.

• http://www.cao-aco.org/MEDIA/OralHygiene.pdf

Food Rules

Our goal is to provide you with a beautiful smile. This can only be accomplished if the braces stay attached to your teeth. We do not want to interfere with your nutritional intake, but we do ask that you watch the types of foods that you eat. Some types of foods are capable of breaking your bands, brackets, or bending your wires. The foods listed are ones that we have found to be the most common cause of loose bands or brackets and broken appliances.

Hard foods

• » ice (no crunching), popcorn , cut corn off the cob
• » hard pizza edges, carrots / apples, peanuts (all nuts)
• » hard corn chips, crispy french fries, cut meat of the bone

Sticky & Chewy Foods

• » caramels / taffy, liquorice
• » jujubes / gumdrops, candy bars
• » gum, fruit roll ups

Sweet Foods- Although they may not cause damage to your appliances, care should be taken to brush teeth immediately after eating very sweet foods, if you cannot brush, at least rinse your mouth with water.

• » cake / pies, sweet drinks
• » ice cream, cola / pop
• » candy

Emergencies

Call our office as soon as possible if you break or loosen any of your appliances. Please do not come directly to the office – by calling us, you will allow us to create a time to see you. Even if you have a regular appointment scheduled, call us immediately to notify us if you need an appliance repaired.

Loose brackets or bands

Call our office immediately for advice if a bracket or wire is loosened. The bracket may need to be re-fitted as soon as possible. You may have a situation that requires cutting a wire or sliding a bracket off a wire at night or over the weekend. If you need to cut a wire in case of emergency, you may use fingernail clippers that have been washed and sterilized in alcohol. Please call our office the next business day, so that we may schedule an appointment for you.

Wire irritations

Sometimes discomfort caused by a wire on your braces can be resolved by moving the wire away from the irritated area with a cotton swab or eraser. If the wire will not move, try covering the end of it with a small piece of cotton or a small amount of wax. If the wire is painful, you can cut it with nail clippers or scissors that have been washed and sterilized in alcohol. If you cannot resolve the wire irritation, call our office for an appointment.

Discomfort with Orthodontic Treatment

During the first week after your braces are in place and routine adjustments are complete, you will likely feel some pain, soreness or discomfort. You may take acetaminophen or other non-aspirin pain relievers while you adjust to your new braces. A warm washcloth or heating pad may reduce the soreness in your jaws.

There is also a lot of useful information at the Canadian Association of Orthodontists website:-

• http://www.cao-aco.org/MEDIA/Emergencies.html