Patient advice

How do I care for my teeth if I’m wearing braces or a retainer?

• Continue to see your family dentist for routine check ups at least every three-six months depending on your individual needs.
• ALWAYS remember to brush your teeth after every meal and floss at least once a day.
• Make sure to use toothpaste that contains fluoride.
• Dr Panesar recommends you use an alcohol free daily fluoride mouth wash to help prevent permanent marks on your teeth.
• If you take out your retainer to eat, make sure you brush your teeth, floss, and remember to keep the retainer safe in its container so that it does not get lost or broken.
• Keep your retainer clean, by brushing it gently with a toothbrush only for clear retainers. If you have removable metal and plastic braces you can use toothpaste and brushing. To help keep the retainers clean we recommend you use an appropriate tablet to soak the retainers as instructed by your orthodontist. Do not clean retainers in boiling water or in the dishwasher.
• During your treatment, avoid frequent intake of foods or drinks which contain sugar. This will increase your risk of developing permanent marks or even cavities which may result in stopping treatment prematurely.
• Avoid sticky and chewy foods (toffees, chewing gum, spare ribs), hard foods (sweets, hard crusty bread, nuts, ice cubes, pork crackling/scratching), or any foods that could possibly get stuck in your braces (corn on the cob, crusty pizza etc).

Looking after your teeth and braces

Your orthodontic retainers