Metal Mouth Message Board

Got my clear braces suresmile, self ligating just an hour ago. I;m 40 years old, in California. They already feel tight at the ortho office,does that mean more soreness coming up?

I snack quite a bit because I'm petite so if I eat at 11 and 3, can I wait until 3PM to brush my teeth. The reason is I eat usually at 9, 11, 3 and then dinner at 6 and late snack at 9. I will brush at least 3 times a day but wondering if brushing 5 times is too much.

Thanks everyone, sorry if these questions are basic.

Not sure you can brush too much. I know you can brush too hard, but the more often you can brush the better.

You'll probably have sore teeth in the morning; might want to take a couple Advil prophylactically.

You can't brush too often, as long as you are brushing gently, with a soft toothbrush, and toothpaste that isn't too abrasive. (I wrote a whole sticky on toothpastes for this forum.)

I usually brush 4-5 times a day. I think my record in a day is 7 times though (I was on vacation and couldn't stop eating!). I don't think you can brush too often, but make sure you are doing it gently and not too hard. My friends, even the ones who have had braces in the past, think I'm ridiculous...but EVERYTHING gets stuck in the wires and I can't stand having all that gunk there.

I lost a lot of weight since getting braces, definitely keep up the snacking. I personally find what works for me is have breakfast, brush, have lunch, swish, then snack, swish - wait half an hour then brush. Then brush after dinner, so only 3 x a day. When I first had them put on I was brushing constantly and straight after I ate and weirdly I found my teeth create less plaque buildup and hard buildup between my teeth when I chill out a bit. I'm sure you'll find what works best for you, too!

OP there. thanks everyone! It's been 20 hours since I got my braces, pain is manageable but when I tried to floss yesterday, it hurt too bad 10/10 so I just used my waterpik. Some of my teeth were also sensitive when I used my sonicare.

Cleaning was a little tricky as a huge piece of soft salmon fell out, didn't even feel it.

I'm semi regretting getting braces because it is going to be tough to keep it clean but I am stuck for at least 18 months :( Will buy an interdental brush today.

I just want to chime in here since my experience is a bit different. I only brush twice a day (morning and night) and have been absolutely fine. I use an electric toothbrush and a Waterpik, but I only use the Waterpik a few times a week. Every time I get my teeth cleaned, they tell me I'm doing a fantastic job. YMMV and do what works for you...but it's not necessarily mandatory you brush after every meal.

Thanks! I got the Oral B floss threader and it was much easier to floss but takes a while! I love this site and all the advice~!