Best Practices For Oral Hygiene
We’re passionate about helping you maintain a healthy, confident smile. Here’s everything you need to know about best practices to keep your teeth and gums healthy.
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Professional Support For Your Smile
At Dental Beauty Orthodontics South Croydon, we believe that a healthy, radiant smile starts with the right care and guidance.
Whether you’re managing braces, aligners, or simply looking to improve your oral health routine, our team is here to support you every step of the way. With expert advice and personalised care, we’ll help you achieve a smile that’s not only beautiful but built to last.
Maintaining good oral hygiene is essential for your overall health and confidence, and it’s especially important during orthodontic treatment. From preventing gum disease and tooth decay to ensuring your orthodontic journey delivers the best results, our professionals are dedicated to empowering you with the knowledge and tools needed for success. Together, we can make caring for your smile simple, effective, and rewarding.
Oral Hygiene Video Guides
Oral Hygiene Instructions
Dental Hygienist Guidance
Common Orthodontic Concerns and Solutions
General Soreness
With years of advanced training and extensive experience, each orthodontist is dedicated to providing exceptional care.
Loose teeth
It is perfectly normal for teeth to feel loose during treatment. Teeth need to loosen before they can move into their new positions.
Broken Archwire
Call us during practice hours to arrange an emergency appointment. Place wax over the area if the wires digging in or causing discomfort.
Gaps
Gaps may appear between your teeth during your treatment, this is quite normal. All gaps will be closed prior to the end of your treatment.
Injury
Orthodontic appliances may be damaged by facial or mouth injuries. Contact us if your teeth feel loose or the appliance is broken. We can also create a custom mouthguard for protection during contact sports.
Rubber bands
Rubber bands may cause sore teeth for the first 3–4 days as your teeth begin to move. Keep wearing them during this time, and use pain relievers if needed. If you're unsure how to wear them, stop and call us during practice hours for guidance.
Loose band or bracket
Call us during practice hours and arrange a repair appointment. If the loose band or bracket is irritating the gums or cheek, place wax over the area. Remember to brush very well around the loose appliance, as it may tend to trap plaque.
Sore spots
Occasionally, ulcers may develop while wearing braces. Apply wax to the problematic area for relief; wax is available at our practice. Ulcers typically heal within 10 days, but contact us if discomfort persists.
Recipies For Brace Wearers
This recipe collection is designed with new brace wearers in mind.
Maintaining a healthy, balanced diet is essential for everyone, especially teenagers, as their growth and development impact their lifelong health. These recipes aim to support the dietary adjustments required while wearing braces, ensuring you can enjoy nutritious, varied, and fun meals throughout your teeth straightening journey.
Oral Hygiene FAQs
For the first few days, it is best to keep to soft foods in order to prevent damage to your teeth and brace.
You should avoid:
Sticky, chewy foods such as toffees, boiled sweets, chewing gum, chewy chocolate bars.
Hard foods which might damage the brace such as carrots, tough meats, hard pizza bases and crusty bread. Try cutting up food into small pieces and chewing on your back teeth.
Fizzy drinks(including fizzy water) and excessive amounts of fresh fruit juices-these can
cause decay and dental erosion. Milk, water and dilute squash are the safest drinks.
Nail biting and pen chewing as this can damage the brace.
The teeth, gums and braces must be kept completely clean. lt is important that you brush your teeth thoroughly at least twice a day and ideally take a spare brush to school/work to brush after lunch. lf the teeth are not kept clean then permanent staining of the teeth (decalcification) can result. This is the first indication of tooth decay and the braces will be taken off before the end of treatment to minimise the damage.
Lisping may be a problem at first but most people soon adapt and quickly begin to speak clearly within a few days.
The brace may feel rough to the inside of your lips and cheeks for the first week – soft wax is provided and this can ease the initial discomfort. We also recommend you buy some ‘Brace-Eze’ from the reception. The teeth are likely to be tender for the first few days due to the pressure put onto them by the brace, this is also the case after each adjustment. Painkillers, such as the ones you would normally take for a headache, may help.
- Small, soft/medium bristled toothbrush and a fluoride toothpaste. Pay particular attention to brush where the gums and teeth meet. Try and have an ordered sequence of brushing so you don’t forget to brush the front, back and biting surfaces of the teeth – it is time consuming but essential.
- lnter-dental brush helps clean in between the brackets and around them.
- Fluoride mouthwash
A daily fluoride mouthwash is advisable as this can help prevent decay and decalcification – your orthodontist will advise you.
You will need to be seen every 6-8 weeks for the brace to be adjusted.
Yes – you must continue regular check-ups with your dentist so your teeth can be checked for decay.
Yes, but it will have to be a special orthodontic one to fit over your fixed brace, ask your orthodontist. Mouthguards should be worn for sports such as rugby, hockey, football etc.
At the end of treatment, a dentist-made custom fit mouthguard is recommended.
Please contact the surgery without delay. An appointment will be made for you to have it repaired. Place wax over any sharp areas or ‘Brace-Eze’ (available at reception).
Breakages can slow your treatment or may result in damage to your teeth. Please be careful with the braces.
When the fixed braces are taken off, impressions of the teeth are taken and retainers are made. Retainer braces are either removable or fixed behind the teeth. Removable retainers are usually worn just at night to hold your teeth in the new position – your orthodontist will advise you. lf you don’t wear your retainers as instructed your teeth may start moving back towards where they started!
