Question about braces!

[lazaroulovesleggings]

I've had mine put on today. How do I floss my teeth? Are there any special brushes I can buy?

I know it's highly unlikely there will be any other adults with braces so what do your kids use?

You can get little bottle brushes, I think oral B do them, think they called interdental brushes. Superfloss might be an idea also. Did your orthodontist not recommend anything

She said something about fluoride mouthwash and a special toothbrush, but I wasn't really sure what she meant. i just nodded vacantly. Ok, so interdental brushes it is then.
What is superfloss?

I had braces in my late 20s and didn't floss. I used mouthwash and a normal toothbrush. I also bought some interdental sticks - they look a bit like toothpicks and I found them very useful for between my teeth and also if anything got caught in the braces themselves.

Have you got clear elastic bands? One things that I wish someone had wrarned me about..... don't eat curry or you'll suddenly have bright yellow ones .

Oh, DS2 used to get the special toothbrushes - will see if I can find an image for you, hang on (the interdental-miniature-bottle-brushes are good too)

Like floss but one end is firmer so you can thread it through your teeth rather than sliding it down like normal floss. It is what is recommended for bridges but I suppose would work for braces too. One problem with the brushes, if your teeth are crowded you probably wont get them in so superfloss might be better if your teeth crowded.

Oh thank the lord another freak like me .I have braces-am totally fed up with mine now but anyway..I use little brushes called teepee (possibly not spelled like that!)they come in lots of sizes and they do help,and are also good if you are out and about and get some gruesome food item stuck in the brace.They are swedish,they stock them in my Tesco actually but most big chemists seem to sell them.I use the yellow ones and the pink for smaller gaps,and I have a sonicare brush.I have still developed a tiny cavity though so braces are a bugger to clean around.what ones have you got?

Have just seen other posting and yes my bands have turned yellow from curry and mango does the same.Uggh.

A bit like this - I don't think his was quite so thick but they are v good for getting into all the crevices of the brace. Our dental surgery sells them.

(The tiny bottle brushes are for the really small gaps in and around your teeth, you can get those in Tesco amongst others.)

LOL @ 'Oh thank the lord another freak like me'

I haven't got elastic bands thankfully, the brqace is only on my top teeth.

I'll write all these things down and see if I can get some of them. I just hate not being able to floss.

I actually felt a pang of absoute envy at the words "only on my top teeth".I am having brace anger as I thought mine were coming off in a few weeks and then at my visit a fortnight ago ortho said "well lets aim for Christmas " and I nearly cried.He also said the immortal "bring out the heavy chain" to his assistant,and it was in reference to my teeth,rather than any more dubious activity.

the heavy chain! My next appointment is in october when they are going to put a stronger wire on and attach a chain to the tooth they want to pull down. I want tto rip it off, it's really annoying me.

God they are so annoying.I do sometimes wonder whether i would have been happier just blowing all the cash on an amazing outfit ,wonky teeth beaming.
I have the "stronger wire".It is more noticable I suppose but then the whole contraption is so bloody hideous that the heavy chain/stronger wire is immaterial.I have ceramic braces which are supposed to be less noticable har har har.I had braces as a teen and then my teeth moved back! how unfortunate is that!I am now the oldest teen in town.

I'm getting my treatment for free thankfully. It would cost about £5000 normally for everything i'm having done.

I would love to have the ones that aren't too noticieable but I would have to pay.

They are hurting today. THe wire is really digging in. Do you know where I can get the wax from that they give you? I imagine I will run out of it fairly soon!

I too am having brace anger and it's only been on for one day!

dunno about the wax-John bell and croyden? (london chemist that sells everything).I get it from my ortho but have never used it as three year old thinks it is as good as playdo and keeps it for her own.If there is a wire digging in it may need trimming,so you might need to pop back.How did you manage to get yours free you lucky devil? mine are costing a small fortune.Also everyone says "WHY have you got braces,you don't need them" which is not helpful as I can't tell if they are being nice and are really thinking "thank god she's sorting out that freakish tooth-henge that is her mouth",or if they really are thinking I don't need them.My last session of prodding in a new and ever more enormous piece of hardware hurt like hell and apparently having them taken off is appalling so I am very fed up.