Life with Braces

Braces from the practice of Harold Slutsky, DMD, PC are a great way to improve your smile, your health, and your self-esteem. While you have braces, you’ll need to take special care of them and your teeth to ensure the best outcome. Dr. Slutsky and our team want your orthodontic treatment to be a success!

Brushing and Flossing with Braces

Excellent oral hygiene is essential and must be practiced throughout treatment. Braces DO NOT cause cavities, but poor oral hygiene DOES. Do not allow poor oral hygiene to result in poor tissue response during treatment.

You must brush four times per day: after breakfast, after lunch, after dinner, and before going to sleep. Pay special attention to the area along the gum line. The proxybrush is very helpful for brushing between the braces. Be sure that your toothbrush has soft bristles, and use the prescribed Prevident 5000 toothpaste as a fluoride supplement. This will help keep your teeth strong while you wear braces. Brush with this once daily as directed on the label. Use regular toothpaste, which does not whiten teeth (e.g. Crest or Colgate) the other times you brush every day. Floss every night as instructed by our office.

To help ensure your oral health during orthodontic treatment, Dr. Slutsky routinely provides, at no additional charge, sealants to help protect the teeth from getting white marks during while wearing braces. These are an effective way to keep the teeth clean and healthy the day the braces are removed. 

Eating with Braces

We recommend a cold, soft diet for the first day or two that you wear braces. Foods such as yogurt, applesauce, and pudding should be comfortable to eat. After a day or two, you can go to a more normal diet.

You should avoid sticky or hard food that may break the braces and prolong treatment time. Examples of such foods are chewing gum, hard candies, sticky candies, corn on the cob, chicken legs and wings, popcorn, peanuts, and ice cubes.

 

Dealing with Discomfort

If parts of your brackets or wires feel sharp or is sticking you, dry the sharp spot with a piece of cotton and place a small piece of wax over the sharp area. If appliances break, keep all the parts and bring them with you to your next appointment. Call our Philadelphia or Bensalem, PA orthodontic office if there is a problem. Dr. Slutsky and our team are here to assist you in every way possible.