Oral Hygiene
Life with Braces | Oral Hygiene | Common Problems | Types of Braces | Braces Diagram | Brace Painter | Types of Appliances | Retainer Instructions
We are strict about oral hygiene.
Dr. Phillips recommends you see your dentist at least every 6 months for a cleaning while in active treatment. Clean teeth and braces are a MUST for good dental health during orthodontic treatment.
Oral hygiene is monitored at every visit.
If Dr. Phillips feels a patient's oral hygiene is slipping, we take extra time to demonstrate proper brushing and flossing techniques, stress the importance of keeping teeth and gums clean and ask if the patient is using fluoride as instructed. We also discuss the consequences of NOT brushing well, which are:
- Gums become swollen and will bleed
- Bad breath
- Decalcification (scarring) of the teeth may occur
- Cavities will develop
If oral hygiene has not improved by the next visit, we will communicate with the parents and ask for help in monitoring oral hygiene at home.
If oral hygiene has not improved by the following visit, we will schedule one or more EXTRA visits during the month. These visits will be in the morning only. A patient will not have his/her braces adjusted, but will be given special oral hygiene help at this time. We may remove wires and leave them out until oral hygiene has improved. This, of course, delays treatment and could add additional cost.
We reserve the right to remove the braces and stop treatment after consultation with the parents if oral hygiene remains unacceptable.
Decay/Decalcification
Your teeth may decay underneath orthodontic bands if the bands are loose. At each appointment we make certain that your brackets are attached. However, if you notice a loose band or bracket, call us as soon as possible so that we can set up a repair appointment. A more frequent problem, but one that you can easily prevent, is decalcification or scarring of the teeth. This may occur on areas of a tooth adjacent to the band if you do not brush your teeth thoroughly after each meal. Orthodontic appliances DO NOT cause decay/decalcification; not maintaining good oral hygiene can. So you see, preventing this problem is pretty simple, and it is up to you!
