Creating your new smile is a team effort! Here are some guidelines that will make your journey as smooth as possible.
While You’re at Home
- Good home care is crucial to keeping your braces clean and your teeth healthy. Braces are food-catchers and give bacteria a place to live in your mouth, creating cavities. Clean braces move faster, too!
- On the day Dr. Arash Abolfazlian places your braces, he gives you a patient starter kit. Use it!
- Brush your teeth 3 times a day, which means taking a travel toothbrush to school or work.
- Use fluoride toothpaste once a day. Doing so gives your teeth an extra layer of protection from bacteria. We recommend using it at bedtime so that the fluoride can rest on your teeth over a longer time period.
- Use your proxy brush, the tree-shaped brush in the starter kit that can get into all the tight spots in your braces.
- Floss! It cleans the area between teeth and slightly under the gum line, where bacteria love to hide.
- Diet restrictions: No hard, crunchy, sticky food. Sticky foods feed bacteria. Hard, chewy foods knock braces off. Limit drinks that have high sugar or acid, especially sports drinks! When in doubt, drink water.
Pain, Discomfort, and Emergencies
- When you get braces, a little discomfort is to be expected, especially after adjustments. Tylenol or Ibuprofen can minimize pain. Don’t be afraid to use your teeth to chew food and exercise the soreness away. The bite wafer in you starter kit will help with pain.
- Wax: Place wax over anything that is poking, scratching or rubbing your cheeks and lips as needed.
- Breakage: Notify the office immediately so that we can schedule an appointment to repair your braces. Please do not wait until your next scheduled appointment! Wires, braces and the glue that holds them to your teeth are specially designed and placed to move your teeth properly. Breaking them can cause damage to them or your teeth and add time to treatment.
- Emergency: Pain, swelling, and injury may happen and should be tended to immediately. Please call us to schedule an appointment for evaluation by Dr. Arash. Call (925)553-7531 to reach our on-call system during weekends and holidays, but please only do so in case of emergency
Your General Dentist is Part of the Team
Commit to seeing your general dentist for check-ups every 4 to 6 months. We will work closely with them throughout your treatment for the transfer of your health records, x-rays, and progress reports.
.
