Poll: What is your cleaning routine?

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#1 Post by **IndyBraceFace** » Fri Feb 03, 2006 12:10 pm

Don't forget to mention your brushing, flossing, and flouride habits!

#2 Post by **Leslie022** » Fri Feb 03, 2006 12:32 pm

<u>Morning</u>
Sonicare with Mentadent Advanced Cleaning
Advanced Protection Listerine

<u>Night</u>
Sonicare with Mentadent Advanced Cleaning
Colgate Phos-Flur Flouride Rinse

I floss about 2 a week. I know, I know...I should do it every day but I just hate flossing!!!

#3 Post by **ingyandbert** » Fri Feb 03, 2006 1:23 pm

Morning: Regular brushing, run proxy brush around the edges & between brackets. Waterpik. Warm salt water swish. Prescription fluoride mouthwash my ortho recommended (kills germs up to 10 hours; Listerine lasts only about 15 minutes)

Noon: A quick brushing and any proxy brushing need to unstick lunch.

Evening: Regular brushing, run proxy brush around the edges & between brackets. Waterpik. Warm salt water swish. Mouthwash. Floss.

My ortho drilled into me how important it is to catch the area up against and between the brackets. He says because that's the place brushing is most likely to miss, it's the highest risk for damage caused by plaque.

#4 Post by **dena** » Fri Feb 03, 2006 4:10 pm

Morning and NightBrush twice (two rounds of toothpaste I mean) with my spinbrush
Brush once with regular toothbrush
Swish with water
Listerine

I also brush after eating and If I'm home, I brush after drinking anything that isn't water.

I floss 1-2 times a week...my ortho's assistants told me I only needed to floss a few times a month (which totally weirds me out--I'll be bringing that up at my adjustment next week)

#5 Post by **Flora2006** » Fri Feb 03, 2006 4:20 pm

Morning: Brush, tongue scrapper, proxy brush on all teeth, listerine

Evrey single time i eat/drink something that isn't water: brush and use proxy brush on all teeth

Night: Floss, brush, tongue scrapper, proxy brush on all teeth, listerine

Very time consuming!!!
lol

#6 Post by **ingyandbert** » Fri Feb 03, 2006 7:48 pm

[quote="dena
I floss 1-2 times a week...my ortho's assistants told me I only needed to floss a few times a month (which totally weirds me out--I'll be bringing that up at my adjustment next week)[/quote]

That doesn't sound right at all! Are you sure she didn't say twice a week? My ortho prefers everyday, of course, but will settle for every other day.

#7 Post by **Evelyn** » Fri Feb 03, 2006 8:37 pm

I just brush my teeth...not much more.

In the morning after breakfast I'll quickly brush them and rinse with listerine, and then if I'm home throughout the day whenever I'm bored I'll brush them and then at night I give em a good scour with a regular old toothbrush and then rinse with phos-flur.

To be honest I really don't have time for much more, besides this has always done the job before, and I think as time goes on with your braces you get more and more used to brushing quickly and efficiently

#8 Post by **sydsmom** » Fri Feb 03, 2006 8:55 pm

Oh, this is going to be pathetic. It's amazing how life changes with braces. Before, I brushed twice a day, and that's it. Here goes:

Morning:
A quick brush with an Rx fluoride toothpaste and regular toothbrush after my coffee. Walk the dog and let the toothpaste "soak in" for 30 minutes.

After breakfast:
Brush 4 minutes with Sonicare
Proxabrush to remove breakfast leftovers
Flosspick in between all teeth

During the day:
Regular brush and proxabrush after eating anything or drinking anything but water. Swish with warm saltwater 2-3 times each afternoon.

After dinner:
Brush with regular toothbrush. Rinse with Biotene

Bedtime:
Brush 4 minutes with Sonicare
Floss in between each tooth
Rinse with Phos-Flur

Phew!! Wears me out just reading it

Karen -- what are disclosing tablets and where do you get them??

#9 Post by **sydsmom** » Sat Feb 04, 2006 11:26 am

A-ha! Thanks for the explanation, Karen...I will look for those -- they sound quite helpful.

#10 Post by **Anticipator** » Sat Feb 04, 2006 2:13 pm

Morning: Braun Oral-B Professional Care with prescription flouride toothpaste (prescription says not to rinse after using for at least 30 mins).

Night: Braun Oral-B Professional Care with normal toothpaste, waterpik, flossing, and mouthwash (currently BreathRx).

Our waterpik just died on us during the week though, so the last few days have been slightly less clean.

If anyone's reading this and has a recommendation on a good waterpik that has a good size reservoir (previous one I had to refill three or four times to get a complete cleaning) and a good lifespan, I'd definitely appreciate it.

#11 Post by **CelestialVoices** » Sat Feb 04, 2006 3:06 pm

Morning: brush with either regular toothbrush or Sonicare,
depending on my mouth/teeth can handle
(lately it's been a regular brush)
Rinse with mouthwash

After meals: same

Night: same, use proxibrush and floss upper unbraced teeth
with my Reach Access Flosser type thing,
after that is done, rinse with mouthwash
then use flouride rinse.

#12 Post by **NotBob1** » Sat Feb 04, 2006 7:19 pm

Let's see.....

Morning: Use water pik type of unit attached to shower, (Oral Breeze or something like that) Floss using Super Floss, brush with a V trimmed toothbrush thoroughly, check over gums with an Oral-B pik.

Afternoon: Brush with V trimmed brush, check with proxi-brush or the like.

Late Afternoon: Same as above.

After dinner: Same as above.

Bed time: Floss with Super Floss/Thornton floss, brush with V-brush, attach my comfort covers (ahhhh...relief!) and put in my night guard. Talking is a tough one at this point!

#13 Post by **Betty Bat** » Sat Feb 04, 2006 7:39 pm

Well, based on my visit to my regular dentist for my first cleaning since I got my braces, I can summarize my current cleaning routine in three words - not good enough. The cleaning took an hour and a half. I had a lot of plaque all over the place. I had gone for a cleaning six months ago and I have had my braces for three months now.

Now, I have seen the light. I bought a Sonicare 7300 on Ebay yesterday and I know that my proxy brush is going to be my best friend.

#14 Post by **dena** » Sat Feb 04, 2006 11:05 pm

ingyandbert--i'm positive that they said a few times a month because i made them repeat it three times. they said they feel tartar control listerine used twice daily does as much. i still floss once or twice a week though

#15 Post by **Cissa** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 9:22 am

As far as a Waterpik, I reccomend this:
http://www.waterpik.com/products/SpecDi ... Nbr=100262

It's seven dollars and works beautifully IMHO.

As far as my brushing habits...
Morning:
Waterpik through my teeth, proxy brush around the brackets, brush with my Colgate something-or-other and Crest Whitening Expressions (Extreme Herbal Mint)

Night:
Same thing over again, except after the proxy brush I also use regular old thread floss around my third molars where there are no bands or brackets.

I was using Listerine daily as well but it was my brother's and he didn't let me bring a bottle to school. As soon as I get money scraped up I'll be buying some.