From what I've read, they don't clean your teeth during adjustments (unfortunately).. do they at least floss them? I'm having one heck of a time doing it myself, and I'm willing to get a professional teeth cleaning once a month, because I'm having an insane amount of tartar or plaque build-up since I've gotten them on. It's extremely annoying, and no matter how much I use the little dental scraper things, and floss what I can actually reach (not much, and I've pretty much given up), it just keeps coming. I can't deal with it and I don't want to get gum disease or anything like that. I don't care how much it costs to get them cleaned every month, if they don't do anything during adjustments, I won't really have a choice. I can't do it myself.
Also, when you do go in for your regular 6 month cleanings WITH braces, how thorough is it? And do they floss them then? It just seems to me, the only time they actually would be able to do something like that would be during an adjustment, because they change the wire and everything, right? They won't be able to floss your teeth unless they can get in between 'em.. I just hope there's a way. I can't bear going on like this for another 1.5+ years. I'll be paranoid about gum disease & decay for forever..
Yay! First adjustment next week! Question though..
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chainreaction
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Re: Yay! First adjustment next week! Question though..
have you tried the Glide threader floss...it works very well ,,also I use a waterpik after eating to dislodge food before I brush ...there is a little brush thing called a sulcabrush..it gets in all the tight spots ...I have not had my teeth cleaned yet with braces but am going on the 20th of Oct ...my ortho will take my wires off before I go to my dentist ..my dentist wants to use a prophyjet to clean my teeth (its a water and baking soda "jet" machine thingy ) then my ortho will put my wire back in ..Im sure they will floss your teeth when they clean them ...I doubt your ortho will floss your teeth but if they are doing a wire change maybe you could ask if you can quickly floss ...wouldnt hurt to ask ...
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Snowglobe32
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Re: Yay! First adjustment next week! Question though..
Do you have a waterpik? They help keep your teeth clean. The plaque does build up, I am slightly OCD about keeping my teeth clean, but flossing, waterpiking and brushing works well. At times when my teeth were too sore and I couldn't floss, I would just waterpik. It isn't a substitution for flossing by any means.
When you go in for an adjustment, if they take your wires off (I once went 4 months with the same wire), they will usually have you brush. You can floss then but they won't floss the teeth for you. Flossing isn't that hard, after some time being braced. The wire just gets in the way but it isn't usually attached to the tooth...you know what I mean? I find that just pulling the floss under the wires works best. It is harder if you have powerchains and other appliances... don't use a floss threader, I find them to be a waste of time.
My ortho has an office close to my dentist so when I know I will be getting a wire change, and it is close to the 3 month mark, I go to the ortho, get my wires out, go get my teeth cleaned then come back for new wires. I did this just last week. The teeth are sore a bit after the cleaning and the adjustment but the soreness usually goes away in 2-3 days. One time I did not get my wires out for a cleaning, and I prefer to have them out. It is easier for the hygienist to clean your teeth and easier for the dentist to do the exam. They will floss your teeth at the cleaning and my office even puts on a foamy flouride.
Are you at least brushing after every meal? That will cut down on the buildup. Over time, if the buildup doesn't get removed it can stain...usually a brown color...similiar to the color of soda. This happened to me the first time I had a powerchain. It came off at my cleaning though.
When you go in for an adjustment, if they take your wires off (I once went 4 months with the same wire), they will usually have you brush. You can floss then but they won't floss the teeth for you. Flossing isn't that hard, after some time being braced. The wire just gets in the way but it isn't usually attached to the tooth...you know what I mean? I find that just pulling the floss under the wires works best. It is harder if you have powerchains and other appliances... don't use a floss threader, I find them to be a waste of time.
My ortho has an office close to my dentist so when I know I will be getting a wire change, and it is close to the 3 month mark, I go to the ortho, get my wires out, go get my teeth cleaned then come back for new wires. I did this just last week. The teeth are sore a bit after the cleaning and the adjustment but the soreness usually goes away in 2-3 days. One time I did not get my wires out for a cleaning, and I prefer to have them out. It is easier for the hygienist to clean your teeth and easier for the dentist to do the exam. They will floss your teeth at the cleaning and my office even puts on a foamy flouride.
Are you at least brushing after every meal? That will cut down on the buildup. Over time, if the buildup doesn't get removed it can stain...usually a brown color...similiar to the color of soda. This happened to me the first time I had a powerchain. It came off at my cleaning though.