One month away!!! Questions though...

[trippedup]

So I'm completely ecstatic about my braces coming off this May

I have a few issues though...

My gums are kind of puffy and loose over the teeth. But only the overgrown parts. Do the eventually go back to how they were, or do they tighten up in their position now?

Also, my front lower four teeth have nasty swelling in the gum area. Like it looks bunched up somewhat and the gums are very loose. And from what I can tell, when I floss and they move I can see that black triangles have formed underneath. Will the gums fill that up?

Also, whats a good way to clean and whiten my teeth right after? Cause my teeth are far from white. I've tried flossing and my gums kind of hurt when I try to see if there's any junk in the gums. Already the gums around my canines are painful to touch, and feel like I scratched then or scraped. any relief?

Please and thank you!!

[AlbinoPenguin]

Congratulations! im not sure about the gum question...i would THINK they would just go back on their own...as for the teeth whitening...i know there are alot of commercials for those whitening strips but i hear they are REALLY bad for your teeth...and you wouldnt want to do something that ruins those perfect teeth! if it were me id go to a dentist and ask them what they think, after all teeth are their business! ^_^

[TumbleDryLow]

I was told by my dentist, hygienist and orthodontist assistants that, even with impeccable oral hygiene, it's common for gums to be swollen and inflamed while in braces. I was told that your body treats the braces like a foreign body and reacts to that with inflammation. I had similar areas of puffy loose gum tissue and it firmed up after about a month without braces. If the swelling still persists after a month, see your dentist. As for the black triangles--those are usually due to tooth shape, i.e. the teeth being triangular in shape thus they meet at one end but not the other. Sometimes the ortho can do IPR to reduce the triangle, but this must be done while braces are still on the teeth so the braces can be used to pull the teeth together. Give your ortho a call to see if this is an option. If IPR is not an option, once again, wait and see how things settle out. The gum tissue may fill in some of the gaps. If the triangles are still there and bother you, your dentist can do some bonding on those areas.

I don't whiten my teeth so I can't comment on that, but I think the general consensus is that you should wait about a month after the braces are removed to do any whitening.

Congrats on getting your braces off!

[trippedup]

Thanks so much! I'm actually planning to visit my dentist right after they come off cause of concerns about the teeth and gums. I have a feeling my enamel is shot to hell, and the gums concern me. -____-

I'll ask about whitening though, because I want my teeth and gums great for the summer seeing as I need senior pictures taken

[krystalize]

the gums can get puffy or inflammed if you don't floss every day..Also brushing the correct way can help as well. Tumble Dry Low is correct when he said that his dentist said that sometimes the gums still become inflammed with the foreign body (the braces themselves)..based on the wording of your post it doesn't sound like you floss every day, just occasionally. Correct me if I am wrong though. Try flossing every day to see if it helps. I know flossing with braces is a big pain in the butt but it has t be done. it WILL hurt at first and your gums will bleed, but once your gums are used to it they will stop. Make sure that you get a piece of floss that is about arms length, stick it in a floss threader, and thread it around your brackets, when you go between the teeth make sure to go up against the tooth and make a C shape around the tooth and wipe it up and down (sometimes people do it forward and backward...it is better to go up and down) make sure to do that on both teeth that you are between. Also those interdental brushes are good for getting plaque out of the bracket area. it may help cut down on the inflammation. When you brush your teeth make sure the brush is at a 45 degree angle to where part of the brush is on the tooth and part of it is on the gums, and make small circular motions. You don't have to brush really hard because many people really go to town and you don't want to do that. With braces you will need to brush the side above the bracket, the top of the bracket, and below the bracket..it will take longer than normal brushing but see if that helps
I am a dental assistant and I have to tell patients this kinda stuff all the time..lol

[krystalize]

Also I forgot to mention, some dentists offer Rx strength mouthwash containing Chlorohexidine that helps reduce inflammation, if you are a candidate to take it then I probably would see your dentist about it. As for whitening your dentist will be able to tell you which type of whitening will be good for you. I don't know about other offices but the one I work for offers Zoom! whitening which is an in-office treatment. it is the quickest result...comes with custom made bleaching trays and a syringe of bleach to maintain the whitening done in the office. Theres also where you can just get custom trays made with bleach syringes, and then there's the whitening strips that are a bit stronger than over the counter.
Just a tip just in case, you should never get whitening done at a spa or a place that does not have a dentist on staff. Some states allow non-dental offices to offer whitening, so be careful.
Also it is a good idea to get your teeth cleaned very soon before you get them whitened. Any amount of build up on your teeth may hinder the result. Ideally it is good to do it on the same day if you are looking to do clinical strength whitening. Clinical whitening will have a degree of sensitivity, the Zoom! causing quite a bit so if you already have sensitivity you may have to be on a fluoride treatment before or after the whitening, but the dentist will be able to give you more accurate information to your particular case