How often do you brush?

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#1 Post by **Bridget** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 6:18 am

As you might know, I had my braces put on last Thursday.

And as I already thought, I am really getting paranoid about tooth decay etc so my feeling is that I should brush right away, even if I just had something like a little ice cream or milk shake.

Now a colleague of mine hinted that it might not be good to brush more often than 3 times a day as this could damage the tooth enamel.....

So what is true now??? Better only brush after breakfast, lunch and dinner and only use mouth wash inbetween or brushing after EVERY meal, even if it is of the non-sticky type????

I am really at a loss now...especially since my gums are still somewhat sensitive after the putting-on procedure....

Thanks for your advise!!!!

Bridget

#2 Post by **Lisa65** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 6:51 am

I've only just got my braces on too Bridget, and I've had to stop using my Sonicare for now as my teeth are just too tender.
So what I'm doing is a good old squirt round with water jet, thorough brush with manual toothbrush, floss and fluoride mouthwash morning and evening.

In between times if I eat anything I rinse with water to get rid of as many bits as possible, do a visual check to make sure there's no bits stuck anywhere and then swish round with mouthwash again.

#3 Post by **Bridget** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 7:17 am

Hi there!

You are BRILLIANT! Thanks for the speedy feedback!!!!

I brush about 3 - 5 times a day and was just not sure if that was fine or not. Due to lazyness I reduced my meals to 3 fixed meals anyway

And I will definitely do this salt water rinse you suggested, Karen!

Thanks a million!!!!!!!

#4 Post by **katmc_tx** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 7:47 am

Bridget, I'm pretty obsessive when it comes to my oral hygiene just like Lucy I've had problems in the past with cavities. So I've asked my dentist in the past if its bad to brush after every meal, snack, drink etc... And he said I could brush as many times as I wanted throughout the day.
So I'm even more obsessive now that I have my braces on and brush after anything that goes into my mouth except gum(sugarless) and water. My husband and family think i'm a little nuts but hey I'm not spending all this money, time and pain to end up with cavities.
Good luck and just do what you feel is right for you.

#5 Post by **Betty Bat** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 7:56 am

I'm in the "4 times a day" camp - once after each meal and once at bedtime. Here's my routine
- after breakfast, one round (2 minutes) with my Sonicare 7300 and then proxy brush
- after lunch, manual toothbrush (ortho cut) and then proxy brush
- after dinner, two rounds (4 minutes) with my Sonicare and then proxy brush
- at bedtime, back to the manual brush and then proxy brush

I floss every other day, usually after lunch, because I'm more alert in the afternoon.

I don't use a mouthwash and I brush with Colgate Total, which has an antibacterial ingredient (triclosan). My problem is plaque, and I'm still trying to conquer it. The proxy brush seems to help me a lot, but I haven't had a cleaning since I started using it.

Also, I read that the sonic brushes are the best to use because they give you maximum cleaning with minimum pressure on the teeth - I read this on a general dental site. I don't use mine all the time because of the expense of new brush heads, which is a separate topic!

#6 Post by **KriegeR** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 8:25 am

I currently clean about 5 times a day, unless I'm somewhere where this wouldn't be possible, (like on the top of a mountain or in a business meeting etc).

Morning, and before I go to bed, my brushing discipline consists of:

* Rinse with 2 to 3 mouthfuls of luke warm water to remove any loose food debris.

* Interdental brushes to clean between the teeth, round the brackets, and my molar band tubes.

* A good rinse with Colgate FluoriGard mouthwash.

* I then brush with an Oral B plaque remover, and a special toothpaste recommended by my oral hygienist.

The toothpaste I use is Colgate Duraphat which is only available on prescription, or direct from dentists. Most fluoride mouthwashes contain about 200ppm of fluoride which is ample for those without braces. Colgate Duraphat has 2500ppm fluoride and is said to be ideal for those wearing dental appliances, or those with a history of caries and tooth decay. It's expensive too at Â£6.50 a tube! However it was recommended to me, (as I've had problems with decay in the past, hence all the fillings), so I'll use it. The only problem with it is that it can cause vomiting if you happen to swallow more than a tiny bit, because the fluoride level in it is so high. It's also not recommended for kids.

My other brushings are generally:

Lunch (at work): Warm rinse, interdental, Oral B anti-plaque mouthwash, and brush with Colgate Total toothpaste, and an Oral B 'Ortho' toothbrush (special V bristles to get round braces). If I'm at home I'll use the FluoriGard mouthwash as opposed to the normal stuff.

Tea: Quick rinse with bog-standard mouthwash, brush with Ortho and Colgate Total.

The 5th brushing depends on what happens during the day. If I'm at work and it's someone's birthday, (usually cakes are brought in), I'll treat myself and brush up afterwards. Otherwise I just fit a 5th brushing in somewhere depending on how I feel.

I don't think you can go OTT with brushings, apart from when you're a kid. Young teeth have very week enamel which is why they are susceptible to harsh regular brushing, and the highly erosive effects of fizzy drinks and fruit juices. As you get older I think the enamel hardens considerably, and it takes a lot more than 5 brushings a day to cause any damage. I think the only risk is damage to the gums by being a bit over the top with the brushing, and pressing too hard.

#7 Post by **IndyBraceFace** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 10:01 am

I think one thing that's important to keep in mind is that you don't have to scrub your teeth and gums for them to get clean. With braces and without, it's important to use a soft-bristle brush and go easy. You're teeth won't get any cleaner if you brush harder. If you keep that in mind, I think it's fine to brush several times a day.

My routine includes:

1. Brush as soon as I get up.
2. Brush after lunch.
3. Brush, floss, flouride before bed.

That's what works for me and I always get an A for hygiene on my adjustment report card.

#8 Post by **jennandtonic** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 11:26 am

I brush for 6 minutes when I wake up, then after each meal I brush without toothpaste to get all the gunk out, and I swish some water for about a minute as well.

I do one or two salt water rinses a day, just whenever I think about it.

Then at night for 6 minutes again, this time I follow with mouthwash and 1 minute of brushing with fluoride paste.

I asked my dentist whether brushing without toothpaste was okay after meals and he said it would be fine, that as long as I got all of the food out and swished water I'd be fine.

#9 Post by **Bridget** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 1:05 am

BRILLIANT!!!

Thanks a lot - actually I will take a copy of this thread and adopt some of your routines - they really sound very reasonable and more than helpful!

Since I got my braces, some parts of my gums are REALLY sensitive, just like the feeling if you touch the neck of a tooth which is lying in the open (I really do not know how to properly put it in English - sorry

)
Consequently I abandoned my electric toothbrush for the time being and switched to using a very soft manual one (a toothbrush especially designed for very sensitive teeth and gums) and this seems to be working fine.
It's a feeling like electricity when I touch these areas so I really really have to force myself not to neclect these sensitive areas - but I am taking it easy there and just brush very soft. That's why I am really happy to read that teeth do not get cleaner the harder you brush them.

Again, thanks for your help with this!!!!!

#10 Post by **nvcarissa** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 6:59 am

Wow, I think I might be the laziest one here. I tend to brush twice a day, once after breakfast and again after dinner (this is my really-good-cleaning of the day: brush, floss and Biotene mouthwash). However, I am a fanatic about keeping food and gunk out of my braces and from in between my teeth, so I have become the QUEEN of toothpicks. I always have them with me: in my purse, on the end table, in my car. And I use them. A lot. And water, I always have water to rinse in between meals. If I have a particularly troublesome lunch, I will brush then and I always have my Dentakit with me. Love my proxy brush.

I have had issues with brushing too hard, so I use a soft brush and try to go easy. As mentioned above, you don't have to brush hard to get the plaque off your teeth.

Since having my braces, my hygienist has been really happy with my teeth and gums.

#11 Post by **Flora2006** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 9:38 am

I used to be insane about brushing...up until last month. I was brushing after every single time I ate and drank something that wasn't just water

...so if I drank orange juice only...I'd brush my teeth (toothbrush and after that brush with a proxybrush) right after even if I didn't eat anything...

Now I work ALL the time so I don't have much time...so when I eat out...I only rinse my mouth...but on days off...I will still usually brush right after eating...but I'm not as crazy anymore which is good because I was spendinf SO much time on my teeth...I'm getting better

#12 Post by **payoki** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 11:48 am

I brush and rinse with salt water in the morning
I only rinse in the afternoon at work and before bed I floss and brush and massage my gum with dab of salt and rinse.

#13 Post by **Kittysopretty** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 8:57 pm

Here is my routine and I have a tiny cavity (first time in EONS, I always get praised for my oral hygeniene - my teeth are snowy white!!) between 2 back teeth that I am getting filled soon

Morning:

Brush with soft tooth brush, mouthwash

Lunch or any snacks:

Same as above

Nightime:
Plax rinse
Brush with normal brush
Use my interdental brush
Floss
Apply fluoride gel from the dentist

I seldom use my water pik

Oh and I use Topol and also Colgate with Baking soda and peroxide

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