Metal Mouth Message Board

But I'm always wondering how much extra sodium I'm taking in by not rinsing out the salt, esp if I'm using salt water 3-4x a day. Interesting question, ghotieyes ! My guess is that you probably don't ingest much of the salt because 1)you spit most of it out with the rinse, and 2) I think the rinse ...

No problem, KK.

I used to teach college-level General Chemistry. I guess I just can't help giving a lesson every now and then!

Hydrogen peroxide is perfectly safe to use as a mouth rinse - if you look on the bottle, it will tell you how to dilute it to use in this manner. Of course, as with most mouth rinses, you shouldn't swallow it. The concentration of peroxide you can purchase is different depending on where you are in ...

Sorry you have such an insensitive assistant. As others have suggested, it's probably a good idea to talk to someone in charge about the assistant's attitude. Plus, she seems to be spreading some incorrect information, which she is probably doing to other patients as well. Orthodontia is a complicat...

I had four premolars extracted in May. Like others, the worst part was getting the numbing shots before the extraction, but even that wasn't that bad. Your dentist should give you a sheet with instructions on aftercare. Try to get the sheet before they start the procedure, and ask all the questions ...

All day today I kept thinking I wonder if it's too late to back out, can they remove them? I honestly don't know if I can deal with this for two years or more. That's exactly what I was thinking when I got the brackets put on my teeth! When I first looked in the mirror, I almost cried. I had to get...

Hey, a topic that I know something about! I knew my chemistry degree would come in handy someday! :wink: Salt water rinses work through the process of osmosis - the movement of water from a lower salt concentration (in the mouth tissue and inside the cells of germs in the mouth) to a high salt conce...

You've definitely got some movement. I noticed a difference in my teeth after only a few weeks as well. My teeth were crowded and overlapped (and twisted and pointing in the wrong direction...)- I think bad misalignment actually helps you notice even small movement, since it's easier to spot changes...

I've found that whether or not an adjustment hurts depends on what the ortho is doing. On my first adjustment, they only changed the ligatures - no new wire. So my teeth didn't hurt at all afterward. My second adjustment involved changing the archwire to a slightly stronger one, so it was a bit pain...

I have clear ligs on the top around my 6 ceramic brackets. Here's what works for me to prevent staining: When I eat or drink something I know will stain, I try to use my upper lip to cover up the brackets. If the food doesn't get there in the first place, it won't stain. This method won't work for e...

I've tried both the Oral B Superfloss and Crest Glide Floss as well. I prefer the Glide floss. In addition to it being the shred resistant tape type (great for getting between my crowded front teeth), its threader end is a bit of flexible plastic encased in the tape. It really holds up even after th...

Hello everyone! After years of putting up with severely crowded and misaligned teeth, I finally broke down and got braces in May. I was a bit unsure about getting them (I'm in my 30s and have a job where professional appearance is important). Would people stare? Would they think I don't know what I'...