Random cleaning question

[HelenC]

Hi

I am having WIN linguals fitted next week and on top of worrying about speech, pain and eating I am now thinking about how to clean them...I accept that I will be spending longer cleaning and caring for my teeth for the next 18 months - but what does everyone do during the day when you are at work. Am I going to have to cart a load of cr** into the office to sort out my mouth every time I eat...?

Also - any 'kit' to get in advance? After advice from my hygienist I have got some wax supplies and an ortho head for electric toothbrush - any other 'can't do without' gadgetry recommended?

H

[Shelleyt]

I'm one week in and I had the same concern because I am at the office 10 hours+ everyday.

I bring my sonicare in a travel case to work. In the morning before I leave, I use mouthwash and then brush my teeth in the office after I've had my coffee and breakfast. Then I brush after lunch. Since it's the soniccare I don't bring the Waterpik- I just use that at home. I keep the little bag my ortho gave me at my desk with a manual toothbrush that I just use dry, if I have something stuck in there or if I have a snack. The linguals seem to trap everything

[iob]

I always thought mid-day maintenance was less of a problem with linguals. First, they're on the inside, so no one sees things stuck between your brackets even if you can feel that it's there. Two, I think that WIN is much like Incognito in that the custom base of the bracket really covers most of the lingual side of the tooth surface. So there's much less enamel contact with whatever is stuck there to cause decay.

If you have access to a private/solo bathroom at work, I'd probably take a toothbrush and toothpaste. Otherwise, I just always carried a little proxy brush that goes between the brackets. After a rinse to get the easy stuff, I'd just use the proxy to poke anything stubborn out from between the brackets. That would get food off the bit of enamel that's exposed. You can do that anywhere that's discreet: your car, office, bathroom stall. No need to carry around a lot of maintenance items.

The big challenge early on when the brackets feel so foreign is the initial OCD to want to constantly brush your teeth because you feel like you always have food stuck in them even when you don't. Eventually that goes away.

[HelenC]

Thanks both. I get to share a bathroom at work with all the students so I reckon I will go for the easiest option and eat sensible food. I am lucky as I only go into the office a day or two a week so I can manage it. Sooo much easier when I am working at home the rest of the time!

[HelenC]

Thanks both. I get to share a bathroom at work with all the students so I reckon I will go for the easiest option and eat sensible food. I am lucky as I only go into the office a day or two a week so I can manage it. Sooo much easier when I am working at home the rest of the time!