Oral Hygiene for the Orthodontic Patient:
If you thought brushing and flossing were important before you got braces, you were right. People undergoing orthodontic treatment need to be even more dedicated to gook oral hygiene. Follow these important tips and when your braces come off you should have strong and healthy looking teeth.

Brushing:
Use a soft-bristle toothbrush. Soft bristles are better than medium or hard bristles at getting into those nooks and crannies. They also don’t irritate your gums.

Brush at least three times a day. It is best to brush after meals to make sure there’s no food trapped in or around braces.

Brush for at least two to three minutes each time. Brushing should be done slowly and carefully. It is important to brush the braces and all the surfaces of the teeth, that is, the inside and outside surface and the chewing surfaces, too. Pay special attention to the areas between your brackets and your gums.

Flossing:
Floss at least once a day. It may seem like you can’t possibly floss while you have braces, but you can and should. Special flossing products can help you get into the space between the wires and your gum line. These include floss threaders and a tool called a proxa-brush. When your braces are first put on someone in our office will review brushing and flossing techniques. If you’re not sure you are doing it right, always ask at your next office visit.

Fluoride:
Use fluoride toothpaste. It doesn’t really matter which one, just make sure it has the ADA seal of approval.

For more fluoride we provide a prescription fluoride that we ask you to use in the evenings after you have done you’re cleaning and brushing. There are other fluoride rinses you may use to protect and strengthen your teeth.

Retainers

The Care and Keeping of Your Retainers:
It’s All Up To You!

If your retainers are to do their important job, you must do three things:

1. Wear Them As Directed.
   Retainers are effective only if you faithfully follow Dr. Myers instructions for wearing them.
   
   And they’re doing jobs only when they’re in your mouth not in your pocket or purse. Remember: wearing that retainer after your braces are removed is the best way to preserve a healthy, beautiful smile you worked so hard to get.
   
   
2. Keep Them Clean.
   It’s easy to clean your retainers when you take them out. You will brush them every time you brush your teeth. You can also soak them in retainer cleaner that can be found at your local retail store.
   
   
3. Handle Them With Care:
   Whenever your retainers are not in your mouth they should ALWAYS be in its case. Your retainers are easy to lose and expensive to replace. They fall out of pockets and purses. If you take your retainer out to eat NEVER, EVER, NEVER  wrap it in a napkin or leave it on a tray, you may accidentally throw it away. When retainers are left lying around they have a way of falling on the floor and being stepped on, or even being picked up by pets.
   

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