Maintaining good oral hygiene during orthodontic treatment is important for many reasons. If you do not keep your teeth clean during orthodontic treatment, it is possible for your treatment time to be delayed and white spots to form on your teeth. Jolley Orthodontics does offer whitening options after treatment, but we would like to prevent the spots from appearing first.

Brushing & Flossing with Braces

Brushing and flossing keeps your teeth and gums clean by removing plaque daily. Dr. Jolley recommends brushing for at least two minutes after every meal and flossing at least once per day. Make sure large pieces of food are cleaned out of your braces and remember to clean all parts of your appliances, teeth and gums. You can use whatever type of toothbrush you like best but remember to change it out every three months or as soon as it shows signs of wear.

Follow Eating & Drinking Suggestions

In addition to brushing and flossing well, it is important to follow eating and drinking suggestions from our team. Avoid any hard or sticky foods that could break your brackets or other appliances. Not only could this delay treatment but it could cause damage to your teeth. If you have clear ceramic braces, it is very important to avoid items that could stain your brackets such as wine or mustard.

Teeth Whitening Options

All Jolley Orthodontics patients in full treatment are given Venus Whitening once their treatment is completed. This is to help make your smile even brighter once your braces come off! If you would like additional whitening, we recommend requesting that from your general dentist. If you have questions, don’t hesitate to let us know!