CARING FOR YOUR BRACES

CLEANING WITH BRACES

You are AMAZING, and we want your teeth to look amazing too! So we’ll do our best to make them Straight and Symmetrical. But we need you to help keep them Healthy and Happy. Please consider these tips when taking care of your Teeth while you have braces:

Brush for 2 FULL MINUTES and Two to THREE times per day (Morning, Noon, and Night) and make sure to get all the following Hi Five Areas:

1. Brush on Top of the Brackets really well. Use gentle circles to get all around.

TIP:

An Electric toothbrush might be a great option. It helps with those circular motions you need and can really loosen up the sticky plaque.

Side view of how to brush braces
How to brush on top of braces
How to brush front teeth above braces
Brushing teeth above the braces

2. Brush ABOVE and BELOW the bracket. Get the Bristles in all the little corners.

3. Brush the BITING surface of your teeth as well as the TONGUE side.

Brushing teeth behind braces
Picture on how to brush teeth with braces properly in Spokane, WA
Brushing teeth and gums wearing colorful braces in Spokane, WA
Brushing the gums and teeth in Spokane, WA

4. BRUSH THE GUMS! *THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST COMMONLY MISSED SPOTS SO BE VERY CAREFUL TO BRUSH YOUR GUMS WELL! Plague love to hide here!

TIP:

Disclosing Tablets can be very helpful in seeing any plaque left on the teeth. Brush again to get rid of the colored plaque left behind.

Tips on how to care for your teeth
How to brush your teeth

5. Floss & Clean in-between each tooth. IT’S IMPORTANT! Here’s some options:
Floss Threaders & Floss – “Floss is the Boss”

Tear off about 8-10 in. floss

Floss brands used by orthodontists in Spokane, WA

Slide Floss Threader under the wire

Flossing in-between braces by Spokane, WA dental professionals

Pull floss Through & Clean, Clean, Clean

Flossing in-between colorful braces in Spokane, WA

Slide out the front (each tooth)

Dentist flossing colorful braces in Spokane, WA

PLATYPUS FLOSSER – Not quite as thorough as a regular floss, but good in a pinch

Tool for easy flossing in Spokane, WA
Flossing between braces in Spokane, WA

PROXYBRUSH – just slide between each brace to get any pesky food after meals

Proxybtush tool used by dentists to clean braces in Spokane, WA
Proxybtush tool used to clean braces in Spokane, WA

WATERPIK – a really GREAT compliment to flossing. It shouldn’t replace flossing but it’s really a great option to clean those hard to reach places!

Waterpik tool used by dentists in Spokane, WA
Waterpick for braces in Spokane, WA

PRO TIP

Rinse with Mouthrinse and/or you can put a dilution of mouthrinse right in your Waterpik reservoir! Minty Clean ☺
Dentist cleaning braces in Spokane, WA

IMPORTANT :

Sometimes a Dental Cleaning every 3 months is a good idea. While most healthcare providers recommend cleanings every 6 months, braces can add a new element to cleaning. So don’t be surprised if we recommend more regular cleanings. Just ask your dentist how to make that possible.

Let’s keep those teeth health and avoid Decalcification (White spots or “scars”). Onset of this can be very rapid and once it can be seen it’s TOO LATE!

Brushing teeth compared to no brushing

TOOLS AND TIPS

There are so many products out there to help you through your orthodontic treatments. Some are better than others. We couldn’t let you go without tipping you off on some of our personal favorites:

Electric Toothbrush

The great thing about electric toothbrushes is that they clean more thoroughly than an old-school brush. The vibration allows you to do the same amount of work with a lot less pressure. When you’re wearing braces, that kind of deeper cleaning is always worth it.

OrthoDots

These are tiny squares of clear, bio-medical grade silicone. Wherever braces rub, poke, or wear on your mouth, just stick on one of these moldable dots. You can shape it to perfectly fit the location, and you don’t even need to dry your teeth off first. OrthoDots have a moisture-activated adhesive that makes them both easy and convenient.

Electric Toothbrush

Waterpik

Waterpiks are a pretty handy tool. They are to dental floss what the electric brush is to a regular toothbrush. These devices use pressurized water to clean between your teeth. They get into places that no brush can and do it much more easily than floss. If you’ve got braces, this thing can be a lifesaver.

Waterpik tool used by dentists in Spokane, WA
Gishy Goo

Gishy Goo

Very much like OrthoDots, Gishy Goo is a substance used to protect the mouth from any irritation caused by wires or brackets. Unlike the OrthoDots, however, this material does not come in a pre-made and pre-sized package. You can squeeze out however much you need and mix it together right there on the spot. Once you place it on the trouble area, it will harden up and stay there.

Steraligner | Aligner Cleaning Solution in Spokane, WA

Steraligner

Steraligner is a great cleaning solution for braces and retainers. It wards off bacteria and gets rid of tartar, keeping all of your equipment looking new and feeling fresh in only a three-minute treatment.

Retainer Bright

This cleaner comes in the form of tablets. It removes bacteria and prevents bad breath. This product is especially good with clear aligners. While some substances may stain or cloud the transparency, Retainer Bright keeps things clear and spotless.

Retainer Brite offered in Spokane, WA

HOW MUCH LONGER?

As orthodontists we can make a pretty good “guesstimate” at the beginning, but we can’t predict exactly how long treatment will take because there are a lot of variable along the way that are unique to you. However, there are a few things that are within YOUR CONTROL. If you are good at these things your treatment will go much faster!

Broken brackets

Broken Brackets

try to avoid broken brackets at all costs. That will keep you progress going always in the right direction. If a bracket brakes in the beginning it might be a glue failure, but after that the glue is strong and should be strong for a long time. Pay attention to the foods you eat so your treatment stays on track!

Brushing & Flossing

You must keep your braces and teeth EXTRA CLEAN by having excellent and consistent brushing habits. If we have to focus on brushing then we may not be able to move forward in other ways, thus slowing down your treatment.

Man Brushing and Flossing
Rubber bands for braces in Spokane, WA

Rubberbands and Instructions

try to avoid broken brackets at all costs. That will keep you progress going always in the right direction. If a bracket brakes in the beginning it might be a glue failure, but after that the glue is strong and should be strong for a long time. Pay attention to the foods you eat so your treatment stays on track!

WHAT IF?

WHAT IF I HAVE A “POKEY” OR MOUTH SORE FROM A ROUGH SPOT?

WAX

you can place wax or soft chewing gum (sugar-free) over the bracket or irritating spot. If you use wax it will stick best if you dry the area really well before applying.

GOOSHY GOO

We have lots of free wax to offer, but some folks just can’t stand the taste, feel, or have a tough time getting it to stick. We also offer Gooshy Goo in the office and it’s super great at keeping those pokeys at bay, and it’s easy to use too! just call and ask about it or bring it up at your next appointment.

ORTHODOTS

another alternative to wax is Orthodots. You can get them at most Walgreens or Walmart pharmacies. It tends to stick much better than wax.

WHAT IF I HAVE A BROKEN BRACKET OR LOOSE BAND/APPLIANCE?

CHECK IT

give the bracket or band a little push to make sure it’s a broken bracket and not just a broken “Ligature.” If you call will you tell us which # tooth it should be connected to?

IF IT’S IRRITATING

you can put wax on it until you are able to make it into the office. If it’s really bad you might be able to trim the wire just in front of the loose bracket so it comes out (see below on trimming a wire).

WHAT IF WIRE IS OUT OF PLACE (BENT, BROKEN, LONG, OR LOOSE)?

PLACE IT BACK IN THE TUBE

Clean tweezers or needle nose pliers can sometimes work well to hold the wire as you slide it back in the slot.

CUT THE WIRE IF YOU CAN’T GET IT IN THE TUBE

Clean nail clippers or wire cutters are great at cutting excess or pokey wires. Give us a call next day and describe where you cut the wire.

Remeber to protect yourself with a mouthguard.

We offer mouthguards in our office. Just ask our team when you are there.

Mouth guard in Spokane, WA

FOODS TO ENJOY

FOODS AFTER AN ORTHO ADJUSTMENT

Foods to enjoy with braces

MEAL PLANNING

BREAKFAST

DINNER

LUNCHES

DESSERTS

How Desserts affect teeth
How meals affect teeth
Hi 5s always follow the exceptional, the amazing, the extraordinary – and we work hard to demonstrate this same level of greatness in our office.
© 2024. All rights reserved. | Hi 5 Orthodontics • Ronald H. Ellingsen, PLLC – Ronald Ellingsen, DDS, MS. | Hosted by Specialty Dental Brands™.
cross-circle linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram