Dos and Don'ts

• Painkillers should be taken as you normally would for a headache. This discomfort will significantly reduce after the first week so please persevere.
• For the first week stick to a soft food diet. Throughout your treatment avoid any foods that are hard, sticky or chewy. The following foods should be avoided: Crisps, toffee, sweets, chocolate, pizza crusts, cereal bars, chewing gum, mints.
• Cut food up into smaller pieces and chew it on your back teeth to avoid breakages. Frequent breakages will prolong the length of your treatment. If the brace continues to be broken we may discontinue your treatment.
• Avoid fizzy drinks completely as these can damage your teeth with the braces on, leaving permanent marks when the brace is removed. This includes diet fizzy drinks and fizzy water. Water, milk and sugar free squash are the only things safe to drink with fixed braces on.
• Avoid too much sugar in your diet as it will cause permanent damage to your teeth. Avoid any habits such as nail biting or chewing pens. Biting nails with the brace on can weaken the roots of your teeth which will make your teeth loose over time.
• If the braces are rubbing or causing sore areas on your lips and cheeks, orthodontic wax can be used to relieve discomfort and aid healing. Please see over for how to use.
• A mouthguard must be worn for ALL contact sports. These are available from reception for £15.
• You must continue to see your regular dentist for check ups throughout your orthodontic treatment.
• Please contact us if anything is broken or you have any questions or concerns.
• We sell at reception a maintenance pack to look after your fixed braces. This includes a full size mouthwash, orthodontic toothbrush, interdental brushes, 4 disclosing tablets, orthodontic wax, sample toothpaste and patient information leaflet. This is available from reception for £12. We also sell the items separately to keep your essentials topped up.

Fixed Appliances - Oral Hygiene Instructions

• Brush 3 times a day for at least 4-5 minutes.
• Brush after you have eaten any meals as food gets trapped around the brace and can cause damage to your teeth.
• Make sure you angle your toothbrush all the way around the brackets and don’t forget to brush your gums! You can use a manual or electric toothbrush.
• Use interdental brushes to clean under the wire and between the brackets as your normal toothbrush can’t reach these areas.
• Use disclosing tablets once a week, they highlight any plaque so you can see which areas you are missing when brushing.
• Use a fluoride mouthwash once a day at a separate time to brushing.

Using the disclosing tablet:

1. Chew up the tablet and swish it all around your mouth
2. Look in the mirror, any areas which are dark pink/purple in colour is where you are missing with your toothbrush
3. Brush away these areas with your toothbrush
4. Next time you brush your teeth remember where you missed!
5. Use them before bed as they do stain your mouth for a few hours!

Using the interdental brush:

1. Use after using your normal toothbrush
2. Place in between the brackets underneath the wire and brush side to side
3. Repeat for every gap between the brackets

You don't need to use a new Brush every time! Replace once the bristles look worn.

Using the orthodontic wax:

1. Dry the area of the brace which is rubbing - saliva stops the wax from sticking
2. Rip a small piece of wax off and rub it in your fingers so it is softer
3. Mould it around the bracket that is rubbing

Tips for brushing your teeth:

1. Angle your brush towards the gum and towards the top of the bracket
2. Use circular motions and spend a few seconds on each tooth before moving onto the next tooth
3. Brush across the brace itself
4. Again, angle your toothbrush underneath the brackets using circular motions to clean each tooth at a time