Hey Peeps!
So, I've had braces for a year--in that time I've had all four of my wisdom teeth pulled, a retained primary tooth pulled, corrected crowding issues on my bottom teeth, and begun fixing an overbite.
I've tried lots of products. My staples--my everyday, gotta have 'em products:
Oral B Complete Action Toothbrush--my dentist and orthodontist both recommended an electric toothbrush for a daily polish and to get into those hard to reach areas. Just remember to change heads every four months!
Oral B Cross Action--I carry this manual toothbrush in my purse and use it after lunch.
Oral B Superfloss--I've tried the generic brands and they don't stand up. It's a bit pricey but the Superfloss is my absolute favorite.
Dentek Slim Brushes--I carry these in my purse, it's much easier to brush out pesky food with these than with my tongue and fingers.
Listerine Total Care--my dentist recommended a fluoride rinse to help keep my enamel strong
A Multivitamin--Yes, vitamins count! They help contribute to healthy teeth and gums. I make sure the option I choose is giving me my daily dose of Calcium and Vitamins A, C, & D. In that same spirit, I try to eat balanced meals.
A Compact--to see if anything's stuck in my teeth when I'm out and about.
The occasional stand-by:
Waterpik--I'm not sure I would repeat this purchase. My orthodontist prefers that I floss, so I do--most of the time. Waterpik is great for those days I'm running behind, but need to get a quick floss in.
Standard Floss/Floss Threaders--sometimes I run out of Superfloss, these are my standbys. This process is tedious and time consuming, spare yourself the trouble and stick with Superfloss.
The biggest post-braces change is that I brush three times a day. In the mornings, I brush and rinse with Total Care. I brush again after Lunch. Before bed, I brush, floss, then rinse again with Total Care--flossing takes about 10 minutes, making my night routine the longest.
I'm pretty sure my dentist hates me. On my last visit I got the world's worse cleaning--it hurt and there was lots of blood. He said it was hard to work around my wires, though I asked him days before my appointment if he would like my orthodontist to remove them. That was a bad experience. But...my orthodontist likes me and he's a lot younger, cuter, and taller than my dentist...so there!
My teeth are still really gappy--I look like a kid. I'd hoped that would be a stage I passed through quickly, but it's lasted months now. The bright side is once the gaps are closed, my treatment will be finished. Which brings me to my next point.
Unfortunately, it looks like I'll be in braces for a while longer. I asked my Ortho if I'd be done by August (I'm in a wedding and starting grad school), he said probably not. I think I'm more upset about that than I care to admit but I can't really do anything about it. Another tip, never take the treatment time estimates seriously. It's all very fluid.
So, I've had braces for a year--in that time I've had all four of my wisdom teeth pulled, a retained primary tooth pulled, corrected crowding issues on my bottom teeth, and begun fixing an overbite.I've tried lots of products. My staples--my everyday, gotta have 'em products:
Oral B Complete Action Toothbrush--my dentist and orthodontist both recommended an electric toothbrush for a daily polish and to get into those hard to reach areas. Just remember to change heads every four months!
Oral B Cross Action--I carry this manual toothbrush in my purse and use it after lunch.
Oral B Superfloss--I've tried the generic brands and they don't stand up. It's a bit pricey but the Superfloss is my absolute favorite.
Dentek Slim Brushes--I carry these in my purse, it's much easier to brush out pesky food with these than with my tongue and fingers.
Listerine Total Care--my dentist recommended a fluoride rinse to help keep my enamel strong
A Multivitamin--Yes, vitamins count! They help contribute to healthy teeth and gums. I make sure the option I choose is giving me my daily dose of Calcium and Vitamins A, C, & D. In that same spirit, I try to eat balanced meals.A Compact--to see if anything's stuck in my teeth when I'm out and about.
The occasional stand-by:
Waterpik--I'm not sure I would repeat this purchase. My orthodontist prefers that I floss, so I do--most of the time. Waterpik is great for those days I'm running behind, but need to get a quick floss in.
Standard Floss/Floss Threaders--sometimes I run out of Superfloss, these are my standbys. This process is tedious and time consuming, spare yourself the trouble and stick with Superfloss.The biggest post-braces change is that I brush three times a day. In the mornings, I brush and rinse with Total Care. I brush again after Lunch. Before bed, I brush, floss, then rinse again with Total Care--flossing takes about 10 minutes, making my night routine the longest.
I'm pretty sure my dentist hates me. On my last visit I got the world's worse cleaning--it hurt and there was lots of blood. He said it was hard to work around my wires, though I asked him days before my appointment if he would like my orthodontist to remove them. That was a bad experience. But...my orthodontist likes me and he's a lot younger, cuter, and taller than my dentist...so there!My teeth are still really gappy--I look like a kid. I'd hoped that would be a stage I passed through quickly, but it's lasted months now. The bright side is once the gaps are closed, my treatment will be finished. Which brings me to my next point.
Unfortunately, it looks like I'll be in braces for a while longer. I asked my Ortho if I'd be done by August (I'm in a wedding and starting grad school), he said probably not. I think I'm more upset about that than I care to admit but I can't really do anything about it. Another tip, never take the treatment time estimates seriously. It's all very fluid.
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