So brushing my teeth has become a miliarty procedure..

[Lizzie365]

I have so many different 'tools'. I dared to use my elec toothbrush (with an ortho head) earlier and it didn't seem to give the full clean feeling. The ortho gave me a tooth brush which dips in at the middle and is quite stiff and that doesn't make my mouth feel clean either.

I find it hard to reach my back teeth especially when I'm trying to clean around the brackets/under the wire with the interdental brushes.

Flossing is the only thing that seems to be ok.

Can anybody give me any tips? I'm starting to freak I'll never have clean teeth again.

[Ciara]

I have so many different 'tools'. I dared to use my elec toothbrush (with an ortho head) earlier and it didn't seem to give the full clean feeling. The ortho gave me a tooth brush which dips in at the middle and is quite stiff and that doesn't make my mouth feel clean either.

I find it hard to reach my back teeth especially when I'm trying to clean around the brackets/under the wire with the interdental brushes.

Flossing is the only thing that seems to be ok.

Can anybody give me any tips? I'm starting to freak I'll never have clean teeth again.

Since I'm new to this I can't really help but I feel as if I've joined the same military campaign - my bathroom is fully equipped with plaque fighting materials. In fact, is being to resemble the dental section of the local pharmacy! All I know is I've brushed my teeth 6 times today, flossed 3 times, and aimless moved the little interdental brushes around. I'm hoping they are clean by now! I hate the stiff dental floss so have returned to my usual. I don't have problems getting it under the wire and catching it so I hope it is ok.
I'll be checking back to see if any of the experts chime in with some good tips.
Ciara

[Duncan5]

My teeth, especially the molars, felt absolutely horrible for the first week, really furry to the tongue as if covered in plaque no matter how much I brushed. Dentist (thankfully I have a very approachable one) said it was the chemicals the ortho uses as part of the bonding process de-mineralising the surface of the tooth (to improve the bond). It took about 3 weeks to return to normal.

Here's my regime:
* After breakfast brush, interdent and mouthwash
* After lunch brush (at work, strange how unpleasant it feels to use the restroom for something as relatively innocuous as cleaning teeth).
* After dinner brush, interdent, floss.
* Before bed, mouthwash.
Hoping it's sufficient to keep on top of the rot; 3 month hygienist visit and 6 month dentist check-up in early Jan.

I've found that picturing the teeth in my mind as an M with another M (the bracket) stuck on the side is helpful as I brush; so clean the inner (lingual) surface, top, top of brace, face of brace, and bottom of brace (angling the head at 45 degrees to get into the grooves in the bracket). I make sure I overlap onto the gums using a medium soft small head using a circular motion and brush 28 separate 'tooths' rather than a more general "brush my teeth" approach (if bending the English language is allowed). I've found the big headed brushes with tufts coming out everywhere to be far too unwieldy so use really small head ones.

I've also got an interdental electric brush (it has 4 tufts only) recommended by the hygienist that gets behind the wire and into the crannies behind the hooks. And the normal manual interdents that are useful for cleaning the sides of the brackets covered by the wire.

Yep, I could probably set up a dental section in the local chemists too

[klobird]

Get a waterpik!! It is soooooo much easier to get your teeth clean and they feel soooo much better after you use one. This is my routine at night:

Toothpick to get big pieces out (only when I feel like it)
Waterpik (ortho also told me to put a mixture of salt and baking soda in the waterpik to keep the yellow away)
Floss
Proxabrush
Brush (Sonicare or Oral-B)
Mouthwash
Wax, if needed
and Elastics (for me)

This is my evening routine.. it takes 15-20mins. You will get used to spending more time in the bathroom than pre-braces. Still, I intensely dislike the evening routine, but I will not change it. It's a good dental routine.

During the day,pretty much after I eat anything, I toothpick,then rinse,brush, and mouthwash, then elastics (for me). I have a brushing carrying case, that isn't really noticeable, with me always. The feeling of junk in my teeth makes me crazy!

I am very naughty as far as eating the no-nos-- I eat almost everything now--but it has been a learning, taking chances process...

Good luck--you will be sooooooooo happy with your results!!!

[chimi]

military procedure that takes sooo long!!!
specially flossing!! my god, it's so impossible...

Its getting so annoying that Im actually avoiding snacking so I dont have to wash my teeth...