What could happen if I don't maintain oral hygiene?
If you fail to keep to a precise cleaning regime, you may end up with:
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White marks on your teeth (decalcification or decay marks)
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Gum disease (bleeding/swollen infected gums). Teeth move more slowly when the gums are infected.
Our team will show you how to brush and floss your teeth correctly. It is important that you:
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Brush after every meal, but especially before and after school/work, and before bed.
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Take your time to do a good job and ensure you have removed any excess food and plaque.
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Floss your teeth daily if you can.
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You may also use a mouth rinse in addition to your tooth-brushing, to help keep your teeth healthy.
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Apply the Tooth Mousse we gave you, every night after you’ve brushed your teeth (leave it there to work). This will lessen the chance of tooth decay marks (decalcification) by trying to recalcify your teeth.
Decay marks & gum infections are totally avoidable if your oral hygiene is good
What can I eat during treatment?
It is important that to avoid eating anything that is hard (e.g. popcorn, corn chips, ice, lollipops) or sticky (e.g. minties, bubblegum) as these will break your braces. Whilst these broken braces can be fixed, it does mean your braces will be on for longer. These “emergency” appointments (to repair your braces) also need to be done during school hours. Use a knife to cut up apples, carrots, steak etc into small pieces and chew them on your back teeth. Keep all hard objects out of your mouth e.g. pens, pencils etc. Don’t bite chocolate that has been in the fridge.
