Care of braces
CLEANING
Orthodontists are always talking about how important it is to keep your teeth clean. This is because when you wear a brace of any type, food and plaque (plaque is the product of food and bacteria on your teeth) will stick to the brace and teeth much more easily than normal. If plaque is left on the teeth it will cause decay and gum disease. Decay can lead to permanent marks being left on the teeth and gum disease shows itself as bleeding gums and bad breath. It is therefore very important that you brush your teeth and brace after mealtimes as well as morning and night. It is also a good idea to use a fluoride mouthwash to strengthen your teeth to prevent marks occurring.We will not fit a brace if you cannot keep your teeth clean.
WHAT CAN I EAT AND DRINK?
Braces, particularly fixed ones, can be broken if not enough care is taken when eating. We advise that a fairly soft diet is eaten and that anything at all hard is cut up before you put it in your mouth. This means that foods such as apples, raw carrots, crusty bread, crispy pizzas or nuts either need to be avoided or great care taken with them. Broken braces mean a longer time to complete your treatment – breaking a fixed brace can add 2 months or more onto your treatment time. It is therefore important that any breakages are repaired as soon as possible – we always have emergency appointment times available for repairs because of this. Sugary foods should also be avoided as much as possible, so sweets need to be kept to a minimum to prevent decay; hard or chewy sweets and chewing gum should be avoided completely.Fizzy drinks (even diet or sugar-free ones) are very acidic and easily cause permanent marks on the teeth with braces – we always advise that these are avoided completely. Care is also needed with over consumption of fruit juices for the same reason. The best sort of drinks if you have a brace are plain water, milk (though NOT milkshakes because they are full of sugar), tea or coffee without sugar, or tooth friendly squashes made as dilute as possible. Tea, coffee, red wine, spicy foods and smoking can all stain your teeth more easily if you have a brace, although these stains can be polished off by your dentist.