Oral hygiene

It is important to be extra thourougly brushing your teeth when you have orthodontic braces. If you are sloppy, a bacterial coating (plaque) will gather around the brackets, and this can cause cavities in the teeth and inflammation on the gums.

At start-up, you will be given a start kit that contains everything you need when you have orthodontic braces, and you will receive training from us in how to brush your teeth with brackets on. It is especially important that you use the small toothbrush you are given in addition to the regular toothbrush every day, it is used to brush around the brackets and under the arch.

We recommend 3 minutes of brushing at least twice a day. You can use an electric toothbrush. The toothbrush wears faster when you have braces and must be replaced when the bristles start to crack.

We also recommend use of fluoride toothpaste and extra fluoride in the form of fluoride rinse (0.2% NaF) throughout the treatment.

When you come for check-ups at the clinic, we will look at your oral hygiene and give you feedback on your brushing.

 

Diet

You may have heard that there is some foods you can't eat when you have braces? The reason why we recommend avoiding certain foods is because they can damage the braces and delay treatment.

Foods you should avoid with braces:

• Tough and sticky food - e.g. caramels, wine gum, licorice, chewy breadcrumbs and the like.
• Hard food - e.g. popcorn, crispbread, hard bread crusts, cereals and nuts
• Food that you have to bite over - e.g. corn cobs, fruits and vegetables. We recommend that you cut fruit and vegetables into small boats and chew them gently.

Remember that all beverages that have a flavour (e.g. Farris, soft drinks, energy drinks, juice), can cause acid damage (tooth erosion) to the teeth even if they are sugar-free - therefore we always recommend water as a thirst quencher.

 

Loose parts

Occasionally, brackets may come loose or elastic ligatures may fall off. The arch can also get out of position if an elastic falls off or there are large gaps between two teeth. If this happens, it is important that you contact us as soon as possible in order to repair what is damaged.

 

Discomfort

When you begin your orthodontic treatment, the teeth will be tender after approx. 2-3 hours. This is normal and lasts up to one week.

The first few days you can eat soft / soft food - e.g. soups, porridge, pasta, banana and other foods that do not require much chewing. To relieve severe pain, you can take over-the-counter painkillers (eg Paracet and / or Ibux).

Some people get chafing in their cheeks and lips due to the brackets. In the start kit you are given, there is a small package of wax that you can put on brackets that have caused the chafing. You will receive training from us in how to use wax. Your teeth will be a little tender every time we tighten your braces - this often lasts for 2-3 days.

If you have any questions, you are welcome to contact us. We wish you the best of luck!